The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-02-13
Iost Of the Matters in Des.
pute Have Already Been
Decided.
IE||LL|sOF ] |. MARNETBUR
Interesting Talks By R. R.
Men at Operators
Meeting.

Within q few days the solution OF
the railroad fuel problem will be an
nounced from Washington, D. G., said
J. D. a. Morrow. secretary Of The
National Coal Association, yesterday
1t Tho Fairmont In addressing the
public meeting Of the Northern West
VirEinia Coal Operators Association.
at will not be all that you hoped for.
II Will not be all the committee hoped
for but 1t will be fair"
With particular emohasl. Mr.. Nor.
row made It plain that the relation
ship were very cordial between The
National Cosl AAsociatio nand the
United States Railroad Administration
ana the United States Fuel Admins
thatton. He also stated that should
the conditions, which Will Soon be an
N6unced prove unsatisfactory the
(! yhtiroad administration decided to
confer as to matters that might inn
prove It for the operators. AS re-
suit Of the conferences with Walker
y, Hines, director general OF rail-
roads, II was learned that contracts
had been iet for so Per cent Of the
Saiiroad fuel. He admitted some com.
pie1 matters were involved and that
tE Nas difficult to play checkers with
40 millions OF tons OF coal that goes
( sepnuaily for. railroad fuel.
aMr. Fines, according TO the speak.
q, met the operators IN a straight.
forward manner and he declared
THines was good faith 100 per cent. ;,
He told how Mr.. Hines prohibited
purchasing agents from ignoring con-
tracts and jumping from one field to
another In buying railroad fuel, which
worked a hardship on many opera
tons. He stated that the committee
had q conference yesterday with
Henry Spencer. chief purchasing
agent, which began at 1880 o'clock.
The association and Mr.. Spencer have
Agreed in all matters except one mad
Mr.. Morrow withheld discussion Of
this point because 1t would have been
a'breach Of confidence on his part to
mention II at the time. This courtesy
is due Mr.. Hines he said and that Of
fetal viii announce 1t himself within
aSfew days.
In opening Mr.. Morrow declared
that the coal industry is the corner
; stone OF the foundation Of American
Industrial prosperity. In by-gone
s years the coal business he declared
was g "proverbial weak sister. (" Coal
men are advancing, however, instead
OF returning to the dark ages. They
want to adyai:ce to something better.
he then took up the subject Of the
passage Of the recent tax bill IL CON
1setess and It's bearing on the coal In
dnstry. He assured the members TINT
the National Coal Association was
on the Job at Washington and reason
ed things out with the various de.
rartments so that they never need
ton resorting to lobbying or unaarths
{ ing OF a scandal along those lines.
During tho war some OF the condi-
tons placed on the industry were un>
lair to The operators. while again they
We're unfair to the government. AS a
whole they were 100 per cent 'l1sat-
isfactory. In the new tax law some
ot the portions are favorable because
theS ara fair Sections placed in the
! biil regarded favorable were those
deaiing with an allowance for the de.
pteciaticn Of mining property, the
Hing OF consolidated returns and GER
tan exemptions allowed.
Next Mr. Morrow took up the dis.
ctssipn Of the uniform system Of
cost accounts. which he said had not
been definitely decided upon Jointly
~ the Treasury department and the
Esdetal Trade commission. The ono
gpyernment department holds to one
Confined oa page four,