The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-12-23
Incidentally the National Coal
Associations Head Pulled
Down $4,000 In Commits
sions-Government Ineh-
cheney Charged

Washington. Dec. %2.--How III" Ma
tional Coal Association, an organiZat ION
of coal operators. dealt with the govern
mcnt ana ropcd with the fuel shortage
last summer. were Gi"ld in which a sen
ate Investigating committee to-day spent
ten hours.
j. H. Morrow. 4 vice president Of tho
organization. told how the ASSOCIATION
drafted orders for the Interstate Conn
mcrce Commission to iSSu" on transport
tItion matters, paid the expenses Of the
United States Geological Survey IN col
l~"tinE official figures on coal produC-
tion. kept Joseph l.. Tumulty. secretary
10 President Wilson. informed of ali
stops and successfully fought proposals
20 rc-cStabliSh Il fuel adminlStrat ton.
, although coal prices continued lu mount.
-. W. Wcntz, the associations Nrcsi-
! don't. testified to purchasing for the war
department, at the height Of the short
age l5O.OO0 tons OF coal for which the
government paid Sll.50 4 ton. while an
other corporation which he controlled,
was mining and selling contract coal Tor
! $50 and $S.S7 a ton.
I $4,000 In Commissions.
! Mr. Wrntza declared that his pur-
chaSGs of coal for the war department
/ had been made over protest, and agreed
to 4 suggestion of Senator Calder. he
| publican. New York. that ut was bad
business for the government and III
! creased the difficulty for the public"
Mr. Wrntz said he received commits
: sinus amounting to $4,000 on the puV-
chases. Senator Calder. producing a
: sn""t of figures. said that mi lions OF
p tons had been obtained for tn" army
I BY other buyers during September and
, October, at prices ranging from $500 to
! SIG. Another report, from the shipping
| Board saying that bunker goal at itamp-
| ton Roads during the summer and fall
| had cost the Shipping Board $3.50 n
tG1. in quantities, Mr.. Morrow treated
| by saying that IL was as in"NCusable
IN example of government incfficlency
as | ever saw"
Immune From Damages.
Senator Kenyon, Republican. Iowa.
armed with minutes Of the association S
executive commitctc meetings. read II
/ resolution which authorized the drall-
! Ing OF an Interstate Commerce Commts-
! sion order to make mines immune from
damages" for failing to fulfi!l contracts
| to furnish coal
! You did draft that ordcr""'' Senator
/ Kenyon. asked Mr. Morrow.
! wv" did. and the commission issued
! IT, with some changes" he witness told
! him.
AMI it's general effect WIS 10 free
mines from their liability I" furnish
Cuai they had contracted To deliver
Senator Kenyon continued.
- only insofar as the release WAS IN
! the public interest, and necessary 70 get
| supplies to keep people in thr northwest
and New England from frecZing this
t, winter" Mr.. Morrow returned.
| 4 mass of material WAS put into the
record by Senators Kenyon and Edge
! Republicans, New Jersey. reading from.
, the coal assoCiat ions minute hooks anil
records Several lctetrS from PRESIDENT
Wcntz 10 coal operators warned the lat
. ter that We shall not be able to prevent
the appointment Of fuel administrator
ii high prices continue"
Unless the operators do somethingto
prevent this" one OF the lctctrs, con-
! tinued Congress Will pass a regulation
measure aid the action will be so popu-
lar nothing can stop it"