New-York tribune., 1919-12-30
Plans Not Fully Worked
Out, They State; Secre-
tary Wilson and Tumulty
Were Present at Session
Last Fuel Embargo Is OFF
Restrictions on Export of
BituminOus Modified Un-
der Direction of Hines

WASHINGTON, Dec 29-Preliminary
arrangements for investigation of
wages and prices in the bituminous
coal industry, as provided in the coal
strike settlement. were made at tho
initial meetings to-day of the commits
sion of three appointed by President
Wilson
The members of the commission
Henry NJ. Robinson, of Pasadena. Calf,
representing the public; Rembrandt
Peale for the operators, and John p
White for the miners
mi-permanent Headquarters in the
Department Of Labor Building and
were understood to have discussed the
matter of organization. The commits
sioners said the plan of procedure in
the task outlined by President Wilson
had not been fully worked out. They
refused to state whether they would
hold hearings or whether they would
visit the coal fields in conducting their
inquiry.
Last Fuel Curb Called Off
Whlie the commission was preparing
to take up the dominant questions of
the strike Director General of Rail-
roads Hines, who has had charge Of
coal rationing, modified the last of the
restrictions put into effect during the
strike-that prohibiting expectation Of
bituminous coal. The director general
issued an order under which the over
seas movement of coal up to an amount
equal to 80 per cent Of the quantity
exported in October may be shipped
from the ports of Baltimore and New
port News. Similar arrangements are
to be placed in effect at other ports
as soon as the necessary details can
be worked out. Dumping of coal at
ports will be regulated, however.
through railroad embargoes on tide
water consigned coal
The relaxation of restrictions apainat
expectation was possible, Mr.. Hines
sald, through steadily increased pro
duction resulting from the return Of
the miners to their jobs The situa-
tion in the Eastern fields was de-
scribed as especially good.
Relaxation of export restrictions was
announced by Director General Hine.
IN the following statement:
In the two weeks which have passed
since the bitumnous coal miners re-
turned to work generally production
has increased regularly. This has af-
forded great measure Of relief in
those consuming sections customarily
supplied by miners in the central COM
pettive field and in the Southwest.
and in which sections consumers
stocks had been much depleted. Indie
atlve of the better condition of such
stocks is the fact that many of those
consumers who were eager during the
strike to obtain coal from the fields
which had continued to produce in the
East, have refused now to take such
coal which the railroads moved west
during the strike to protect such con-
sumers, the additional freight rate
from the East naturally entering into
the price Of the coal.
Aims to Prevent Congestion
1T IS necessary, under these circum-
stances, that production of the East
ern fields be again turned into usual
channels and usual markets, and
among the latter is the overseas export
market. Otherwise serious conges-
ton of coal loads will inevitably de-
velop on the railroads.
After careful consideration OF the
entire situation it has been deemed
advisable to permit restricted resump-
ton Of overseas export movement of
bituminous coal. Instructions have al