New-York tribune., 1920-12-15
Senators Ask
Laws to Curb
Housing Graft
Calder Committee Also
Places Responsibility for
Ending Profiteering i'll
Coal ON u. S. Government
Says Building Is Retarded
Shortage of Homes in All
Parts of Country Blamed
on'Disgraceful'Conditions

From The Tribune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec ii. = Senator
William NJ. Calder, chairman of the
Senate Committee on Reconstruction
and Production, in preliminary report
to-day assailed the profiteers in coal
and building material. He said thew
were national disgrace and asserted
that coal protiteering and speculation
had interrupted transportation retard-
ed construction, increased costs and
bled home owners. The report added
that the housing situation was serious
not only in the great cities but in small
places as we'll, even in the Far West
and South.
Arguing that responsibility for
remedylng these conditions rests on
the government, the committee report
urged legislation to remedy the evils.
to encourage home ownership and
thrift, and to empower the committee
10 employ counsel to investigate fur
ther into the coal and building ma
terials Industries.
The committees resolution seeking
power to employ counsel was objected
to by Senator Curtis. of Kansas, bat
1t will come up again tomorrow. and
probably will be passed then or at an
early date.
Federal Action Urged
The report expressed belief that in
dustrial development and increased i'm
migration would add to the prese mt
urban congestion.
Tine building industry was dis
rupted during the war by Federal in
terventlo., says the report, "and has
been unable TO get back on its feet
since the armistice because of trans
portation. fuel and labor difficulties.
because Of the diversion of credit TO
commercial purposes and because of
handicaps Of taxation."
Among the facts found or views ex-
pressed in the report ere that:
Helpful Federal action is justified,
but such action should be to provide
costs should be reduced through in
crease of the eff ificiency of labor, through
elimination Of prcfteering in coal and
through more equitable freight rates
and more regular deliveries of freight.
line Interstate Commerce Commits
sion should regulate railways and not
industry.
Coal proitcering. especially as it has
followed the priority orders issued by
the Interstate Commerce Commission,
has continued unchecked by the De-
partment of Justice and is a Irrational
disgrace"
1t is the duty o. the government to
step in and remedy the evil in connec-
ton with the production and distribu-
ton of coal.
Frequent reports to some Federal
agency should be required from all
coal operators, wholesalers, jobhers
and retailers on tonnage, amount con-
tracted for prices and other facts, and
or communities of interest should also
be reported.
Federal Coal Licenses
Some form of Federal licensing Of
the coal business should be adopted if
otner steps DO not Drlng reNet.
A Federal bureau should be estab-
lishcd which would serve as n clearing
house of the best knowledge and prac-
tees in construction work, to bring
about greater uniformity in building
codes, conservation in the use Of lum-
Der and other materials, standardized
tlon without interference with dcs gn
and reduction of costs.
The Federal reserve act and the tax
alton system should be modified to en-