Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-24
SAYS COAL OWNERS
SEEK T0EXP0RT

reshoent WuSOn To-Day 1esue0 q
call for n meeting here Monday Of
the special commission appointed
to investigate wages and prices In
the bltuminous coal Industry. The
commission Mt that time IL ex-
Peeted to lay plans for It's. i'm
9airy. which probably win con-
Time several weeks.
Coal operators in the West virginia
soft coal fields are looking for higher
prices Tor export coal than they can
OBTAIN In consigning their product to
domestic consumers. This is the basis
OF their pleas for more cars, and the
plea will not be answered until domes-
tic needs are filed
This explanation of the situation in
the West Virginia fields. from which
come continued complaints about car
shortage. was given today by an off,
cial OF the railroad administration. who
also Is a member of the central coal
committee. Previous to the coal strike
there were great quantities of coal
shipped direct from the mines to tide
water points, notably Norfolk. for ex-
port use. The haul was short one
and there was a constant stream of
ioaded coal cars being sent to Virginia
hdewater points for export
Order by Director General
Director General Hines issued an
order early in the period of the strike
mat domestic needs must be Supplied
rI ana mat an embargo would be
placed on export coal. BY this man
date the central coal committee was
authorized to relocate coal cars ali
over the country. chiefly to the middle
west. in order to relieve the domestic
SITUATION. This virtually stopped
shipment of coal to tidewater points.
and of course the shipments for ex-
port were stopped. Prices ranging
from IS to $40 per ton are charged
and paid for export coal, and by an
order of the fuel administration soft
coal for domestic use must not sell
for more than the government price,
which is less than So per ton. There
fore. it is said operators lose what
would normally amount to an enor-
nous profit by the taking away of
their export business.
That is the situation as explained
by the railroad administration and
that is the basis of all the kicking"
being done by operators. Director
General Hines order authorizing coal
use is concurred in by the fuel ad-
ministration and members Of the CEN
trail coal committee.
Admit Car Shortage,
Railroad administration officials ad-
nit that there may be some car
shortage at the Mines but point to
Director General Hines drastic relo-
of the administrations stand. This
order directs all railroad officials to
expedite relocation of coal cars as
rapidly as possible. and has result ed
in every human effort possible being
made to facilitate such relocation
New orders have been issued to the
division of operations within the past
few days for speeding up relocation
of cars with the view of stabilizing
the domestic coal situation, and this
Iii,
coal cars to meet demands of the
West Virginia operators gre
member OF Congress from West
Virginia, himself large coal mine
owner. called on the director general
within the past week. it is stated and
asked him to take steps toward re-
locating cars at West Virginia mines
for shipment of coal, presumably for
export purposes. He was taken to be
spokesman for "A number of operators.
who. if the restrictions on export coal
were lifted. would make enormous
profits. probably in the neighborhood
of S. a ton. on their export coal. He
was asked to put his request in writ
ing but refused. and was told that
his request could not be complied with
until the domestic situation is sta
biliZed.
View OF Situation Given.
That operators in the West virginia
mines in asking for the removal of
restrictions on export coal are trying
to get out from under" WAS the be-
lief expressed today The West Vir-
ginia Coal and Coke Company of Ell
kins. w. Va. contracted early this
year to sell its entire soft coal output
at fat rate of 50 per ton, o. b.
the mines. The cost sheets of the
company show that it costs about
S1.85 per tor. to get out this coal and
load it. Therefore the company makes
about Is cents ton. No provision
was made in the contract. it is under
stood. for export coal. so that by ship
ping coal for export at So to $40 per
ton the company will more than bal
ance the small profits it makes OH
coal for domestic use,