Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-12-30
COMMISSIONERS
! To SETTLE COAL
$ :$;::s!!:sl8LEM 80 MEET
Hines Fc,mitS Operators To
Furnish BituminOuS Coal
for Overseas Export Pur-
poses.

/ MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL GAsEp NtPEI
| Washington. Dec. % Preliminary
ARRANGEMENTS for the Investigation OF
wages and prices in the bituminous
coal industry, as provided in the coal
strike settlement We're made at the
! initial meetings today of the commits
sion of three appointed by President
| Wilson.
| Henry Nj, Robinson OF Pasadena.
| Calf. representing the public; REM
braat peale for the operators, and
| John p. White for the miners--estab-
| lished semi permanent neadquarters
| in the department OF labor building
and We're understood to have discussed
the matter of organization. The COM
missioners said the plan of procedure
in the task outlined by President VIII
| son had not been fully worked out.
| They refused to discuss the questions
| of whether thew would hold hearings
or whether they would visit the coal
| fields in conducting their inquiry
While the commission was prepar-
! ing 10 take uu the dominant questions
| of the strike, Director General Hines.
who has had charge OF coal rationing,
modified the last of the restrictions
! nut into effect during the strike
that prohibiting expectation of bitum-
| inous coal The director general is.
sued an order under which the over
seas movement of coal up to an
IL
quantity exported in October may be
shipped FROM the ports of Baltimore
and Newport News. Similar arrange
ments are to be placed in effect at
details can be worked out Dumping OF
coal at ports will he regulated, how
ever. through railroad embargoes on
tidewater consigned coal,
Relaxation Made Easier.
The relaxation of restrictions
against expectation was possible. Mr..
Hines said, through steadily increased
production resulting from the return
uation In the eastern fields was de-
scrlbed as especially good
The first meeting of the presidents
commission was held in the cabinet
attended by Secretary of Labor Wilson
and Joseph p, Tumulty secretary TO
the president, The quarters assigned
to the commission in the department
room of considerable size. indicating
that hearings of some sort are con-
templated by the commission.
Under the strike settlement plan
1t is expected that the operators Will
participate In spite of objections made
to il bv the operators' association. the
commission has power to fix wages
and prices of coal to the public. IL Its
decision is unantmous. The return OF
the miners to work has been with tho
understanding that tho commission is
further II it finds further increase
justified.
Realisation Of export restrictions
was announced by Director General
Hines in the following statement:
Announcement by Hines.
In the two weeks which have
passed since the bituminous coal min
ers returned to work generally. pro-
duction has increased regularly. This
has afforded q great measure of relief
in those consuming regions customar-
lily supplied by miners in the central
competitive field and in the south
west and In which sections consumers
stocks have been much depleted. In
dicative of the better conditions of
such stocks is the fact that many of
those consumers who were eager dur
ing the strike t obtain coal from tho
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
consumers, the additional freight rate
from the east na,urally entering into
the price OF coal
"It is not nee essarv under these cir
cumstances that productions of the
eastern fields be again turned into
usual channels and usual markets,
and among the latter Is the overseas
export market Otherwise. serious
congestion Of coal loads will inevitably
develop on the railroads.
Restricted Resumption.
after careful consideration of the
entire situation, il has been deemed
advisable to permit restricted resump-
ton of overseas export movement OF
hituminous coal. Instructions have all
ready been issued for such movement
through the ports of Hampton Roads
and Baltimore In an amount equal TO
about 50 per cent of the export tom
mage handled through these ports in
October Similar arrangements will be
made at other ports as soon as tho
necessary details now under way can
be perfected, At each port, however.
the export dumping will be only al
lowed upon restricted basis. the re-
strictions being made effective by rail-
road embargoes against the movement
of coal to tidewater ports for export.
and the issue of permits by the rail-
roads under the control of the region
al directors authorizing the movement
Of specific coal against such embar-
goes,
During the past two weeks while
production has been on the increase.
suecial provisions have been made for
the exnort of coal to cuba, necessary
there for sugar production ultimately
to be moved tn this country. In addi-
Ton, . few other cargoes have been
permitted by the central coal commit
tee actinr in conjunction with the
representatives Of the destination
countries concerned. In order to take
care of vital necessities among our al
lies nd also OF foreign consumers
whose output was contracted to be
ehinnpd tO tho United states" !"