Evening star., 1920-04-03
PALMER DIRECTS
INQUIRY MADE OF
COAL SITUATION
q. S. Attorneys to Receive
and Report on Complaints
of Bituminous Profiteering.
BIG ADVANCE IN PRICES
PREDICTED BY OPERATOR
Statement Made by Wholesale
Dealers Here Regarding
Conditions.

Federal district attorneys were in
etructed today by Attorney General
Palmer to receive and consider COM
hlaints of profiteering in bituminous
goal which may arise in your dis
Erict under the Lever act"
Mr.. Palmer's telegram was prepared
after some bituminous coal operators
had stated publicly that the new wage
The award by the coal strike settle
ment commission would result in an
Increase Of from 60 cents to 81 ton
on coal.
Mr. Pnlmer's Message.
"Now that the government regulation
&f prices has been discontinued Mr..
Palmer's message reads. "there are indi-
nations Of an excessive increase in the
price of bituminous coal. Our total an
nual production is approximately 500,-
600, 900 tons. 1t Is estimated that the
total increase m wages (to mine work
ers) will be approximately $20o,0oO,O0O
Der annum. If this entire amount is
added by the operators to the price. II
would only make an increase OF 40 cents
per ton:
IT. however. the operators absorb
ehe il per cent increase which became
effective in December. there will be
Left only sss.0oO.000 to be passed on
to the consumer. In this event. the
increase in the price of coal at the
mine would amount to 20 cents a ton
Il understand that an exaggerated
Estimate of the demand for export
coal is affecting the market price,
particularly from Illinois east. this
demand having been estimated at as
much as 1oo.o0o.o0o tons. But I am
advised that our port facilities are
only adequate for the export of &c.
900. 900 tons per annum-that Is to
say, only 6 per cent Of our total pro-
"This should not be made an excuse
Cor raising the price for domestic con-
sumption. 1t is probable that normal
conditions will be shortly restored
and fair prices will follow.
I'm the meantime, please receive and
consider complaints of profiteering
which may arise in your district un-
der the Lever act.
View Of Washington Dealers.
Washington coal dealers say the in
crease in bituminous coal Of from
3175 to So per ton is only tempo
yary," and that as soon as word is re-
ceived from the operators setting
forth the contract price for the COM
ing year the permanent increase
will be fixed accordingly: What this
dealers were not inclined to state. One
Of the largest dealers here said he
thought it might be in the neighbor-
hood Of S1.65 per ton.
Statement by Mr.. Dove.
J. Maury Dove. jr.. first vice presi-
Dent Of the Coal Merchants Associa-
hon. issued the following statement:
THE ]. Maury Dove Company is
IL g..
conclusively what will be the increase
n the price of bituminous coal. as
we have not as yet received word
from all our producers of the price at
which they will contract with us for
The coming year. From information
now in hand it would appear that the
advance will amount to about $1.65
per ton.
THE situation with respect to an
thracite coal is even more indefinite.
Ind we have no idea as to the amount
bf the advance that will be made on
This coal when the operators and
miners agree on the new wage scale.
Unable to procure sufficient anthra-
Cite to even meet our present normal
9aily requirements.
TN this connection 1t might be peril
Nent to call attention to the fact that
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and the
(CuuSySNdNtd IdllTOdu nave lHCTGdSeO
Srom 100 per cent to $50 per cent the
rentals charged the Washington dealers
for their coal dumps"
Doubts Increase of g a Ton.
IT cannot conceive of an increase of
81 ton-or even $1.75 ton-at this
time" said William P. Helm. jr., an
Official of the National Coal Association.
hn organization which represents in
Washington the soft GOAL operators.
The price of soft coal to the dealers
has advanced from 81 to SIPS at the
mines IN the Georges Creek mining dis
trict This was due to the increase of
mime workers wages all along the line,
nom the miners to the boys who grease
axle wheels. Why the dealers should
Increase coal fifty cents to seventy-five
cents a ton above these figures is more
chan / can understand"
Mr.. Helm said there is an abnorma
demand for coal at this time. During
The six-week strike of soft Goa
miners in November and December OF
last year. the reserve supply of Goa
was virtually depleted. and has not
up to date been renewed. About this
time of the year, he said, the govern
nent is taxing the mines to the ut
post to obtain coal for its needs.
Anthracite Shortage Cause OF Worry.
The anthracite coal situation i.
Causing no end of worry to house.
Solders. who have been informed by
local coal dealers that they canno
obtain coal. AS a result householders
who usually purchase their next win
t"r's supply in April, and thus take
advantage of the lower prices. are told
they can have only "one ton at {
f.ue"
There is distinct shortage" o
Fnthracite coal. the dealers say. Th'
tonnage being shipped from the mines
j. not sufficient to meet the demand.
Dealers emphaticaliy denied tha
large supplies of coal were being helo
g. reserve in anticipation of a wag,
settlement between the operators an,
anthracite miners. 1t has been sug
Eested that as soon as the increase il
announced. the price of hard coal will
increase. and householders will thei
be informed that they can have a
yluch coal as they want at the in
creased price. But this, the dealer:
Ray, is not a fact The cause of tn,
"scarcity" of anthracite, they aver
nay be traced TO Inadequate supply
Dispatches from the Cumberland
region. where most OF the soft Goa
used by Washingtonians is mined. sa,
production is rapidly becoming nor.
pal on account of the steady advanc.
g., the allotment of empty cars al
nearly all the mines The mines, il
was stated. are working practically
Rt full time. 1t was reported thai
from 1000 to 1900 loads of coal rol
kaxtWard each dav