New-York tribune., 1920-12-24
Proposes Drastic Laws
and, if These Fail to
End Profiteering, Re.
sort to Z. s. Control
S8,000,O00 Excess
Paid Out by Army
Wentz Bought for Baker
at $11, Sold TO Others
at $3.50, Is Charge

From tfc Tribunc's Washington Balr-ou
WASHINGTON, Dec 23.--1n speech
IN the Senate to-day Senator Calder
who IS head Of the Senate special com
mittee which has been investigating
the coal industry. along with housing
and various problems Of reconstruct
ton, scored the fuel profiteers and de-
clared it was the duty Of the govern
ment to take steps to remedy the evils
with respect to coal of which the
public is complaining.
Senator Calder asserted that the
war Department, in purchasing about
100000 tons of coal from July to No.
vember, had paid $4,000 600 above the
cost of this coal at the mine.
He pictured the government itself as
one Of the victims of the profiteerine
and expressed the view the private
coal interests were unable to prevent
repetition or continuance "of the
present deplorable conditions."
While Senator Calder did not advo-
cate that the government itself should
go into the coal business. he intimated
this would follow if the legislative
steps which he proposed did not bring
relief.
Senators showed much interest In
Senator Calder's remarks and interro-
gated him with respect to coal matters
Senator Pomerene, Democrat, Of Ohio
was especially stirred over the charge
that Colonel D. B. Wentz, head of the
National Coal Association acting as
purchasing agent for the War Depart
ment, bought coal at S11 for the de-
partment when one of Colonel Wcntz' S
companies was selling coal for about
$3.50 ton. Senator Pomerene de.
clared the facts should be turned over
to the Department OF Justice for pur-
poses OF prosecution and that If
Colonel Wentz were still in the service
they should be turned over to the War
Department that he might be court
martialed
Gives Resume of Evidence
Senator Calder gave resume Of a
part OF the activities of the committee e
and what it had found out The com
m4ttee did not meet to- day, and decided
not to resume hearings until next
Wedne sday.
In the mean time the committees at
torneys and agents VIII seek to go to
the bottom of the charges that govern
ment officials have been speculating in
coal. Senator Calder has made it clear
he intends to pursue this charge to
the utterm0st
During the last few days" said SEN
ator Calder, "revciations have been
made as to the actual cost of the pro-
duction Of bituminous COAL as to the
great production this y.sr, and as to
the fact that the railroads have carried
more tonnage during July, August, Sep
tember and October than ever before
in their history, and yet, as Interstate
Commerce Commissioners Aitchson re-
piled when questioned before our com :
mttee, "Has it ever Leen suggested
that coal was being held for higher
prices or speculation? have not any
doub, of it, There has been the great
est crossing Of orders, double-crossing
of orders and double crossing of con-
signees and those that have had con-
tracts for the last ninety days that |
have ever known Of in my business OK
perience.'
u. S. Pays Commissions
Coal has been so difficult to obtain
that the government Itself has been
obliged to pay commissions ranging
as high as so cents ton, one agent
alone receiving some $4,000 for max
ing such purchases.
"But the committee now knows the
cost of bituminous coal at the mines
Of the respective producers; it knows
the names of the producers and the
amounts at which they have sold their
coal; it knows something of the actvi-
ties of one of the great coal associa-
tions which, during the last three
years, has spent nearly million dol
lars, has collected from It's members
nearly million and quarter and is
now collecting at the rate Of nearly Il
half million dollars annually. This as
sociation, during the last summer, has
been trying to ally itself with whole
sacrs and retailers and anthracite
producers in order to present i united
Continued page threo)