New-York tribune., 1920-12-29
Names 2 More
U.S.Employees
In Coal Pools
Association Director Tells
Calder Committee That
S4OO, 600 Was Profit
in One Transact tion
Three Now Implicated
War and Navy Departments
Will Be Asked to Give
List of ALI Contracts
From rae 7rsoune's wosh.noson Bureau

From TAe Triounr's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28-Names Of
three persons who traficked in coal
while in the employ of the govern
ment and who are alleged to have
cleaned up big profits while the public
clamored for fuel and couldn't get it
except at exorbitant prices have been
furnished the Calder committee of the
Senate by George II. Gushing, man
aging director of the American Whole
sale Coal Association. Mr.. Cushing
told the committee that one transac-
ton was said to have netted the par
ticpants 100000
Mr. Cushing gave the name of one
Of these men, dollar-a-year employee,
TO the committee when he testified
several days ago, and has since added
two more. The names are still kept
secret by the committee. According to
Mr.. Cushing there were five persons in
the particular pool of government off,
cials which ne referred to as having
offered to split profits ffty-ffty with
him, although there were other similar
pools. The dollar-a-year man has left
the service, but the other two are
alleged still to be in the service.
Senator Calder and his colleagues on
the committee are endeavoring to have
experts trace this charge of Cushing's
to the bottom. They will turn over
whatever evidence they obtain to the
Department of Justice. However, there
is little likelihood of any successful
prosecutions growing out Of the matter
Specializing in coal is not an offense
under the statutes. and Senators say it
would probably be hard to prove there
was speculation on the strength of any
information which was not public
property. An army or navy officer
who speculated, if still in the service,
might find himself exposed to danger
Of court martial.
The Calder committee is expected to
call or the War and Navy departments.
as well as the Shipping Board. for a
list Of coal contracts. This will reveal
in large part to what extent the gov
eminent has been the victim of prof
teering. Senator Calder already has
brought out that the War Department
last fall was mulcted of about $4,000 :
600 on 1000 900 tons of coal which
Secretary Baker ordered bought at
spot market prices and for which the
department had to pay about 81 a ton
more than the coal cost at the mines.
1t is alleged the Navy Department
bought coal much more cheaply than
the War Department. Members of the
committee want to get at the facts in
this particular
Building Inquiry Next
The committee will soon map out a
plan to go fully into the anthracite
industry. It's recent activities have
been directed toward the bituminous
Industry
Stories that government agents wen.
ut with checkbooks competing with
ne another in the open market are
% be explored.
The committee, it is learned, proba-
by will be prepared throughout the
winter to go into any phase of the
.Ssi situation which presents itself
iae plan for the near future is n
sei through the coal inquiry as som
IS possible, with the understandinp q
.ast new phases Of it can be taken uo
ter If necessary, and then to tackle
ne building material industry and
can whether the New York scandals
ave been duplicated in other leadinc
ces ters 'N''i
Dan ". Simms. former special pros.
ing attorney in coal cases at In
l.ahapolis, is to meet with the COM
"''-ee IN executive session.