The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-09-04
]. D. A. Morrow Tells Senate
Committee Such a Combina-
ton Would be impossible.
PRICES AT MINES LOWER
THAN LAST YEAR
Better Grades Of Coal Have Advanced
But Lower Grades Declined,
Making Average for all
Grades Less.

to maintain or fix prices Toes not exis
and would be impossible if attempted
]. D. A. Morrow, vice president of tn
National Coal association, told tn,
senate subcommittee in its first day
inquiry here into the coal situation
Prices at the mine, Mr.. Morrow added
have declined under the competition
which prevails and are lower nov
thar they were a yea ago.
There are about 5000 separate com
mercial producers operating approx
mately seven thousand mines, from
which bituminous coal is regularly
shipped" Mr.. Morrow said. "In addi
ton there are some two thousand
operators with about three thousand
mines, who begin producing and sell
ing coal whenever the price goes up
a little and offers a profit to them.
Many Sources of Supply Available.
"Such a condition obviously does not
lend itself to restrictive combinations
among producers.
anyone who alleges that there is a
nationwide combination among btu
ulluuOuo COdl PiOQuCCto Wucu lu6S6
are the conditions of bituminous coal
production and distribution, merely
advertises his own ignorance or con-
victs himself of deliberate and vicious
misstatements.
"Of the five thousand separate btu
minous coal producers in the United
States, 1924, or approximately As per
cent, hold membership in the National
Coal association. They produce about
so per cen of the total output of btu
minous coal in the country.
Charges that the National Coal as
s~ociation is a combination to maintain
prices are without foundation in fact;
they doubtless proceed simply from
ignorance of it's purpose and activities.
The National Coal association neither
buys nor sells coal; neither does it
have anything whatsoever to do with
the prices which its members ask or
sell at, nor with the territory into
which they ship their coal, nor the
quantity which they produce"
Mr.. Morrow stated that bituminous
coal prices have declined since the
armistice, and in general are lower
than the prices fixed by the United
States Fuel administration. He sub
charts to the committee graph
cally showing the prices at which btu
coal sold at the mines in differ.
ent districts of the United States from
April / to August 1, 1919. In connec
ton with these charts, MI. Morrow ex
that when the price restric
lions of the Fuel administration were
on February / last, the
better, more desirable Goals went to a
and the less desirable Goals de-
clined in price.
This was the action to be expected,
he said, in a market where the buyer
his choice and can obtain
he kind he prefers. AS a result in
stead of the uniform prices in differ
ant districts, which we're fixed by the
prices promptly spread out, some coal
higher and some lower than they
1ad been.
Cost of Production Higher.
meantime" Mr.. Morrow said. "The
cost of producing bituminous coal is
higher now than it was a year ago,
lue to the fact that the mines then
operating six days a week and in
many cases now are operating only
our days per week, and in some cases
My three days per week. The over
Iead expense of maintaining mines
soes on just the same wheather coal
] produced or not. These idle-day ex-
euses have resulted in increased cost !
ton, as compared with last year :
When these increased costs are con !
Ldered in connection with the general :,
eerease in prices, it is clear that =
rofits of bitumirous Goa operators
re materially less than a year ago. i.
Referring to statements by Repre-. I.
Huddleston of Alabama, ;
1rectOr-General Hines of the Railroad :
ADMINISTRATION and others to the effect
~ bituminous coal prices at the :
are unduly high, Mr.. Morrow
ia:
Fore0in Mine Prices Compared. :
n wish to deny publicly and EN-. :
f&tically these allegations that btu !:
1uous coal prices are being main !:
tined In some improper manner and :
b unduly high. am convinced thai :
ese statements proceed simply from i:
lack OF understanding of the facts" j;
Nj. Morrow drew comparisons be. :
&AN-HALo rr;aoc 10 A;k,~-.~ oo-I-
the mines in the United States and :
reign countries. !;
sPrices at the mines in Great
ttain,' he said, Are about three !
nae. the mine prices prevalent in the
Itted States; in France the mine :
are more than three and a half !
tnoSe Of the United States. I,