The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-14
Labor and Capital Arraigned in
Special Report.
Committee of Senate Busy Pre-.
pairing New Act.
BREAK UP THE COAL MONOPOLY
American People and Factories
Are Being PIundered.
Sen. Calder Declares Trades
COnspire to Hike Rentals.

prosecutions Of employers and labor
leaders guilty of conspiring to increase
prices in the building trades and gov
ernment supervision of the coal indus
try. were urged upon congress today.
The recommendations were made in
n report to the senate by Senator
Calder, New York, chairman of the
special committee on reconstruction
and production, which has been in
vestigating the housing situation for
the past several months.
The housing shortage is menacing
industrial growth. public health and
morals, the report said, and makes
these recommendations for its correc-
ton:
1. Amendment Of the transportation act
to check Issuance of 'eX parte' orders by
the interstate commerce commission on the
ground that priority orders so issued being
Irregularities in delivery of building ma
terials, cause building stagnatiOn and open
opportunities for profiteering.
=. Abolition of the cost plus contract
system ana establishment by states and
cities. Of trade schools for building ap-
3. Creation of a federal bureau to serve
rs a clearing house for the best knowledge
and practices in construction work.
1. Revision Of the present tax system to
encourage investment in homes and con-
struction. and to grant for limited period
tax exemption to real estate mortgages.
.. Broadening Of the home loan bank
bill and consolidation of all federal thrift
activities under the postal and savings
Rents Hikcd $50 Per cent.
The report said rentals had increased
25 to 150 per cent; that construction
in the last four years was equal only
to one normal year and that a work
mans house formerly costing $4,000
rcw costs $4,000.
The committee has this to say on
the New York building expose and its
recommendations for prosecutions:
THE misdirection and exploitation
of some groups of organized labor,
thru grating leadership, has been re-
Vcaled in New York City and is re-
ported in some of the other large cities.
This has spread to combinations Of
employers who, working together with
such grating labor leaders. have COM
bined to force unduly high prices
These conditions are called to the at
tention of the department of justice
and that department is urged to prose-
cute the wrongdoers whenever they
are found to have violated the federal
statutes"
Committee Preparing Bill.
Senator Calder announced that the
committee is preparing legislation to
embody in its recommendations; that
these measures will soon be introduced
in the senate, and early favorable ac-
tion urged.
The committee asks authority of the
senate to continue its Investigations,
stating that unless the federal gov
ernment continues to stimulate CO.
operation of those engaged in labor.
transportation. finance and fuel pro-
duction with those engaged in general
construction, that the growing scare
ity Of homes may eventually force
upon the government an undesfra BILE
participation in the housing business"
Says America Plundered.
Dealing with the coal situation. SEN
ator Kenyon of Iowa. member of
the committee said that ''if this con-
tinuous plundering of the American
people is to go on, shall favor TAX
ing over the mines, and it could be
done, in my judgment, constitution
ally"
The committees report states that
as a last resort it may be necessary
to enact some form of federal licens-
ing, of the coal industry. The COM
mittee at present time made the fol-
coal industry and it's relation to the
housing situation:
That all coal operators. wholesal-
ers, jobbers and retailers be compelled
by statute to file at regular and fire.
quent periods with some federal
agency, reports on the total tonnage
produced or handled, the size and
quality thereof. the amount of ton
mage contracted for, the amount sold
on contract, and at spot sale, to whom,
lO6elHtI Win llle prices Hldue OT re-
ceiVed under such contract or sales
and producers and distributors to
make regular reports sufficient to de-
termine their costs and profits, and
the corporate inter-relations or the
communities of interest between COM
lanies producing and distributing
6oHS''
Coal Monopoly Permitted.
This information is to be held for
possible use by the department of
justice.
Coal profiteering has continued un-
checked by the department of. justice
and is a national disgrace" the report
stated. Goal speculation has been
permitted to monopolize the transpor-
tation facilities of the country, retard-
ing construction and increasing the
basic cost of manufacture and dis
tribution in general It has bled the
home owners, public utilities and the
private industries. Private interests
are actually unable to prevent the pres
ent deploroable situation. and it is the
duty of the government to take such
AnrNg al - -