Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-03
LETTER WRITTEN
FUEL PRODUCERS
Receives Message Advising Gov
ernment to Keep Hands Off
Price Regulation.
LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Ask Proper Police or Troop Pro-
lection Be Provided
at Mines.
tBy Universal serviec1

tBy Universal Service1
WASHINGTON. Nov. e.-Attorney
General Palmer declared today tina
the government will take the same ac
ton to protect the interests OF tn,
general public during the coal strike
against coal producers or distributor.
who com bfne to enhance the price o,
coal as wac taken to prevent the
miners leaders from furthcring tn,
strike.
Referring to the action taken ir
restraining the officers Of the min,
workers, Attorney-General Palme,
said:
Il shall not permit it to be uset
oirectly or indirectly for the beneft
o. .ne employers side of the contro-
These statements were made in q
letter TO President w. A. Marshall ot
the Wholesale Coal Trade Association
had written TO .Attorney-GenersI Palm
er In opposition to the government
orders placing a maximum on the price
OF coal and establishing a priorit!
President Marshall said the maxi
mum price order would curtail tn,
operators ability to meet the abnor.
NAL price production costs caused b,
the strike and would discourage thu
operators in their efforts TO produc,
coal He said the law of supply ant
demand would take care of distribu
tion better than any theoretical pro
gram and urged that there be no in,
,crference by the government depart
nents or railroad administration.
answer Sent TO Marshall
Attorney-General Palmer replie,
that he was .'ap.reG" by1 the Goa
mems letter, saying:
eur prpassttion amounts In effec
should be permitted to take advan
tage OF these abnormal conditions ans
have. their prices based entirely upoI
the law OF supply and demand, which
Is only another way OF saying tina
they should be permitted to charge tn,
public whatever they please"
Aside from the giving out OF tn,
correspondence between Attorney-Gen
erai Palmer and the wholesale Goa
today as regards the coal strike. Ap.
parently the disposition was to res
until tomorrow when the full report.
on the number of strikers out would
be received and the situation NOR,
accurately known.
Letter From Coal Men.
The letter from the Wholesale Goa
Trade Association OF New York is as
follows:
Tine. fact that there is no present
general OF coal ana that II
the miners who want to work ar,
given protection by the government
they will work. leads US to believe the
following statement and recommenda-
ton:
FIRST with proper police or trool
protection there will be sufficien
number of miners who will be willing
to continue at work, to insure, will
strike.
meet the abnormal production costs
caused by the strike and will discour.
age the operators in their efforts tc
Third, The law OF supply and de.
better than any theoretical program.
wartime condition. but one in whicf
the demand for coal is normal. ant
will continue SO. IL the public is as
them to produce, and noninterferenct
by government departments in the
matter of distribution.
Oppose Priority System.
Fourth; The putting into effect ot
sariy es1 eertain IN %anseeT
and allowing others to go without.
Fifth. IF there are attempts Al
under the recent amendments ITO to the the
Lever law may be used to prevent the
same:
work In safety and that the consum.
ers Of coal be allowed to procure the
same through the usual normal chan.
ernment departments or the railroad
administrations"
D 4 At;tserney,Gensral Paimer's reply te
IT am in receipt of your circular let
ter of October 81, 1919. and amazed by
its contents.
while. of course. proper protection
will be given to all miners who are
willing to continue at work. it mus
be perfectly plain to you that ever
coal must be far from normal.
Sums Up Proposition.
your proposition amounts, In ef
feet, to declaration that coal dealer.
should be permitted to. take advantag,
their prices based entirely upon pS nth, tn.
lazy of supply and demand, which /!
9hny,a eh1y another lot way Of saying that' the,
Tic whatever they please. pu'
The demand for. fuel will be con
stantly increasing and with the supply
ress CHARGED i e tbe
lie will be outrageous and the profit:
accruing to dealers unoonscionable.
o,nY You ought to be quite as willing. as
general public welfare in this emer.
geney.. even to the extent Of sacrificing
"The action Of the government ir
restraining the officers. OF the Mine
Workers Union from furthering the
solely in the general. public interest
and shall not permit 1t to be used
directly or indirectly for the beneft OF
the employers side Of khe oontro.
"If any such advantage be taken oil
present conditions by any arrange.
persons to restrict either production
or distribution in order to enhance the
price OF fuel, ] Hhall without hnsita.
ton take precisely the same actor
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