Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-12-30
A7=:= 7 -gs'<1 E34aiA] INo.jIhY OF C;0ai. pn'fere f5an- 6 ! a4B2J ~5E 14 sl E <. 7, Presidents Commission Of Three Without DeGlai1e
 Plan Ict RAISES EMBARGO UPON EXPLOITATION OF COAL Hines Says Increase in Production Justifies Action-Opera-
 tors oa Desen-
 sive

tors on Desen-
 sive
 Washington. Dee, 29.-Prsfimin- any arrangements fo4 tie inFesti- gation cf wages and prices in the bituminous coal industry, as pro- vid4d in the coal strike settlement, were made at the initial meetings today of the commission of three appointed by President Wilson,
 The members of the commission Henry M. Robinson of Pasadena, Calf, representing the public; Rcmbrandt Peale, for the opera tors, and john ?. White, for the miners - established semi .rernaa- nent headquarters in the depart ment Of labor buildings. and were understood .to have ,liso5:ssel the matter of organization. The com missioners. said the plan of pro cedure in the tasR outlined by President Wilson had not been fuI- iy worked out. They refused to discuss the questions of whether they would hold hearings or whether they would visit the coal fields in conducting t'leir inquiry
 May E%eo~t Coal.
 While the commission was pro pairing to take up the dominant questions of the strike, Director siersral of Railroads Hines, Vho has had charge of coal rationin@. modified the last of the restric- tions put into effect during the s3rike-+hat prohibiting exp0rta- tion of bjtuminous coal The di- rector general issued an order un- der which the overseas movement of coal up to an amount equal to 50 per cent Of the quantity export ed in October nlav be shipped from the ports of Baltimore ard New port News, 5;riil2f arrangements arc to be placed in effect at other Dorts as soon as the necessary de- tails can be worked ont. Dumping of coal at pcr'g will be regulated, however, thruuNa railroad embar- ! goes on tideN ater consigned coal, ] The relaxation of restrictions against eXportation was possible, MT. Hines said, through steadily iT- creased production resulting from the return of the miners to their jobs, The situation in the eastern fields was described as especially good
 1 The first meeting of the presi- dents coal commission was held in the cabinet room of the executive offices and was attended by sec retarv of Labor Wilson and Jos eph P. Tumulty, secretary to the president. The quarters assigned tc the commission in the department of labor building include hear ing room of considerable size, for nerly used by the national wal labor board, indicating that hear ings of some sort are contemplated | by the commission.
 Operators Shlln Responsibility.
 Coal operators from Illinois, In diana, Ohio and western Pennsyl vania today discussed their attitude toward the commission named b5 President Wilson to investigate tht coal situation and declared tha they would assume no increase 1T miners wages above the IA per cen granted in the strike settlement.
 If the presidents new commits sion recommended 9 wage increase above the A per cent, the responsi bility of increased prices to the con sumner would rest with the com mission, the coal men said.
 Thomas T. Brewster of St. Loui: chairman of the operators scalt committee. presided with A. N Ogle, of Terre Haute as secretary
 Brewster distributed copies of : statement by Senator Frelinghuy sen of New Jersey, chairman O the senate subcommittee investi gating the coal problem, in whicl the senator severely arraigned the administration for sacrificing Sht public interest to the demands o1 the miners, and critized the make ID Of the presidential coal com mission.
 The operators assert that they have not committed themselves a: to accepting or endorsing any de cision the presidents commission may reach.
 THE WEATHER.