The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1920-12-22
MANY HIGH OFFICIALS
PROf|TEERED IN COAL
Gushing Tells Senate Committee of
Alleged Operation on Part
of Officials.
100000 PROFIT MADE ON DEAL
NO Names of Men to Be Announced
Until Investigation Is
Completed.


Washington, Dec. 21.--Charges that
government officials joined in coal
profitecring during the period of
shortage last summer were made by
George II. Gushing, managing director
Of the American Wholesale Coal Assn
citation, testifying under oath TODAY
before Senate investigating commit
tee. In an executive session the COM
mlttee, according to Senator Calder,
Republican, New York, it's chairman
was furnished by Mr.. Cushing with
the name of one man said to have
been principal in an operation by
which group of men in government
service obtained 100000 tons of coal.
which they sold later at profit of
S6O0,OOO. Railroad officials and one
army officer also participated in the
prohl-making, Mr.. Cushing was said
by Chairman Calder to have charged,
This phase of Mr.. Cushing's testi->
money before the committee overshad-
owed the rest of his statement, which
was to the effect that the coal short
age last summer was due to. "panic"
and largely caused by statements of
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
the Geological Survey, the Railroad
Administration, and the Senate Inter
state Commerce Commission telling
the consuming public about coal
shortage this winter.
Morrow on Stand
j. A. ID. Morrow vice president of
the National Coal Association an or
ganization Of operators, the office rec
ords of which were examined last
week by the Senate committee, took
the stand late in the day and began
a denial of the "panic" theorv ad-
vanced by Gushing to explain the
shortage. Mr.. Morrow was excused
until tomorrow when the committee
took Mr.. Gushing into executive scs-
sion.
= Chairman Calder at the close of the
executive session recounted a part Of
Mr.. Cushing's statement, saying that
no name would be made public by
the committee until investigation of
the charges was completed. Certain
officials, it was said Gushing testi-
fed, were able to secure information
as to communities where shortage
conditions were particularly feared
and possessed information as to the
effects Of priority orders on the fur
nishing Of coal cars. These officials
also were said to have obtained in
formation as to coal in transit and
to have been able to obtain supplies
which could be diverted to more
lucrative markets. One pool" named
by Cushing, Senator Calder said, in
volvcd 100000 tons while other opera
tons were said to have been init
mated, The government officials
named by Gushing was said by the
witness to have rcsignc dsomc time
ago.
Railroad Officials Join
Mr.. Cushing, in the open session,
said that railroad officials had Joined
IN the profit making "by diverting
shipments going over their own rails
to new destinations" but refused to
give the names except in confidence,
"bccausc my much raking DAYS are
over"
On the subject of the shortage last
summer, the witness said it chad re-
leased the worst elements in human
nature
"Fhc statements Of public officials
of impending fuel famine this winter"
he said, "didn't cause the high prices,
but gave the opportunity for them"
AS to the condition today, he con-
tended that "anybody can buy coal al
most at his own price," and remarked
that eff the railroads hold up, and
there isn't any resumption of World
War, Americans can forget they have
coal problem for 25 years. Pro-
duction would exceed all known rec
ords,r he said, if maintained at the
present rate until April l. when the
coal year ends"
Mr., Morrow told the committee there
was an actual shortage Of 10000 900
tons in production last spring, aris~
ing from the coal strike Of 1919 and
the strikes on the railroads." Senator
Edge, Republican, New Jersey, pro-