New-York tribune., 1920-07-21
Embargo Fails
To Stop Export
OF u. S. Coal
Spectators Send Great
Quantities to Europe.
Massachusetts, Expert
Tells Calder Committee
Storrow Cites Instances
Orders to Act Against Fuel
Profiteers Are Expected
Sy Federal Agents Here

Great quantities of American coal
ere being exported by spectators to
European countries at time when the
United States is in the throes of a
crave strineency, and the government
$ doing virtually nothing to stop this.
This charge was made by James J.
Storrow, State Fuel Administrator OF
Massachusetts, testifying at the open
ing of the coal inquiry of the Senate
Committee on Reconstruction and Pro-
iuction. held yesterday in the En-
cheering Societies Building.
Senator William NJ. Calder, chair
man of the committee, conducted the
hearing and was the only member of
the committee present.
Plenary authority from the Depart
ment of Justice in Washington to pro-
ceed against coal protiteers, hoarders
and spectators, whose operations not
only curtail the supply but initiate the
price, is expected to be officially re-
ceived to-day or tomorrow by Colonel
Francis c. Caffey, United States Dis
trict Attorney.
Federal Agent Gathers Data
Colonel Caffey announced yesterday
that for several weeks William M.
Speer. an attorney of 233 Broadway
who is also special Assistant Attorney
General, has been gathering data for
the presentation to court of the coal
situation and that coal prices had been
boosted in number of instances to
intolerable figures.
Last week Armn W. Riley, Assistant
Attorney General and director of the
governments profiteering flying.
squadron, declared that he had been in
vestigating the coal price situation in
this district and expected to make an
early announcement regarding it. Mr.
Riley is now in Washington, presum-
ably to confer with Assistant Attorney
General Ames on the coal situation, as
coal comes within the provisions of
the Lever act.
Colonel Caffey expects that the au
thority to be conferred upon him and
Mr. Speer will enable them to probe
fully into the shortage of coal cars
and the reasons therefor, as we'll as
to make a searching inquiry into har
Dor and terminal questions as regards
coal supply and distribution.
Tells of Coal Sent Abroad
Mr.. Storrow, in his testimony before
the Senate committee, declared that
the coal embargo supposed to have
been put into effect some time ago on
order from the Interstate Commerce
Commission was not being enforced and
asserted that unless vigorous measures
we're taken to stop the flow of Ameri-
can coal to Europe the industries of
Asked by Senator Calder whether
ne knew that foreign firms abroad were
selling American coal, Mr.. Storrow pro-
duced an advertisement printed in the
Rome "Messagero," in which the Col
liery Investment Trust Ltd, of London,
Paris and New York, declared it was
prepared "to contract for 10,0o0,000
tons of American coal for immediate de-
livery"
said Mr.. Storrow, that while our rail
roads are struggling desperately to
obtain enough fuel to keep running, the
Egyptian State Railways are being op-
Grated on American coal. This situa-
ton exists in the face of such facts as
that the Maine Central Railway has
recently been compelled to borrow coal
from manufacturers along it's line to
keep running, and the New Haven
line was forced to confiscate coal car
ried by its cars to keep from shutting
down"
Mr.. Storrow said that the American
market is swarming with European buy
ers who are offering fabulous prices
for coal which no American buyer can
outbid. AS an illustration he cited
that in Boston harbor coal is being
offered for from $50 to $21 ton, while
in the instance of one ship the price
was s23
"As far as I know" said Mr.. Stor-
row, "the so-called export embargo now
supposed to be in force has not stopped
the expectation of a single car of
American coal"
Mr.. Storrow said that in April last
the first month following the original
lifting of all restrictions on coal ex-
ports either by the fuel administration
or the railway administration, there
were shipped to Hampton Roads, the
great American coal concentration cen
ter, 100000 tons of coal. Of this, he
said, 100000 tons was sent abroad
and only 900 tons were distributed
through this country. AS q result
Mr.. Storrow said, New England has
been compelled to get along with one.
half cf her normal coal supply. Of the
for domestic use, he said. the New Eng
land states obtained 450, 900 tons.
Chaotic Conditions
Mr. Storrow cited the following in
stance as characterizing the chaos nov
prevailing in regard to the distribution
of cars, factor of utmost Importance
in the general coal situation:
Some time ago the Boston & Maine
Railroad made an agreement with Ger
tain coal operators to send fifty empty
cars day to the mines, in return fo1
which the road vas to receive fifty car!
H@----:------.---:--- oss-----7sos@