Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-12-14

In general the report. wifcIIa
asked power to continue the inves--
tigation, suggested government ac--s
tivities to bring about cooperation
under regulation in building con-
struction, but its three republican
members, Senators Calder Of New
York, Edge of New Jersey and
Kenyon of Iowa, supplemented,
their findings with additional state
ments, which agreed in asking spc--'
cial legislative attention to present
methods of producing and distribute
ng coal
Suggests Federal Operation
These, Chairman Calder saiG.
must be corrected" while Senator
Kenyon declared that "if the map-
ter is to go ON. l, for one harsh asE
the remedy might be, shall favor
taking over the mines" Senator
Edge said that . the coal industry
cannot bring order out of the pra
vailing chaos, and give reasonable
relief to the suffering people, so L
am ready to modify somewhat, In
this case. my opposition to govern
ment intrusion into private bussi-+
ness and to advocate legitimate
/ scrutiny"
Coal proftteerng, especially as
| it has followed tiic priority orders
/ of the interstate commerce com
mission, has continued unchecked
| by the department of Justice. and
! is national disgrace" the COM
mittee said in its joint report.
Coal speculation has been permit -
ted to monopolize the transportar--
tion facilities OF thy country
Private Control Fails.
"Our investigation into the coal
situation has convinced us that
( the private interests are actually
unable to prevent a continuance
or repetition of the present deplof-
liable situation, and that IL is the
duty of the government to take
such reasonable and practical
steps as 1t may devise to remedy
the evil.
Government administration OF
the production and distribution OF
the coal, the committee said.
should be a last resort" but II WAS
recommended thag operators. whole
salers, iobbers and retailers in tfie
industry be required to file full and
frequent reports with the federal
agency"
The reports should be sufficient
T.. tfri
and the corporate INTERPRETATIONS
or the communities of interests. II
any. between companies producing
and distributing coal"
House shortage Probed.
In other fields, the committee
said. there exists a serious short
age o. huslng. not only in the grenf
cities but in the smaller cities ~
well even in the far west and
p south" which il held to have de-
leterious effect upon public health.
morals and industrial growth
"The mis- direction and exploit
alton Of some groups of organised
labor. through grating leadership,
has been revealed in New YORK
city and has been reported In some
other large cities" the report said
'.Thig has spvead 70 EMPLOYERS who
working with such grafting labor
leaders. have combined TO force
undulv high prices The depart
ment of justice is urged to prose
cute the wrongdoers.
{ Frablishment Of more trade
, schools by cities and states TO
train apprentices for the building
trades was recommended as was
the creation Of a federal bureau TO
, / as.ist In framing building eodear
T, and lower costs.
Il Lower Taxes Urged
Financing building investment
! the committee said. should be AID
ed in several ways suggesting loW r
b erinr ~ excess profits and surtaSsa
and tar exemption for real eststs'
1 mort gaeas. a mod ficatiOn OF tAf
federal reHorve art. 20 permit uaeFn-
her banks 20 invest IN long iiHne
= MORTGAGES. was further reeom-
D mended. and the committee said a
= indorsed the principle Of the home
u loan bank bill which is designed
o to facilitate wider distribution or
q real estate mortgages throusA
standard bond issues.
Popular saving and thrift. il was
= concluded. would be aided By con-
u soIidating an federal thrift aetiyi-
y ties and BY amending the postal
n savings law "to provide adequate
linterest for dcpositors.