Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-23
THE ANTHRACITE CoUoE
viii PennsY Ylvanla Follow in the steps
Of New Jersey7 - The Farelcal
Brumbaueh Commission and
What II Didn't Do
By GEORGE NOX Mccain
THE next Legislature has its work c,

Yet the question of most vital interest TO
Philadelphia is not, as yet, part Of its
program.
1t affects the pocketbook of every home.
owner and housckeeper In Philadelphia"
and east of the Alcghanies.
The newspaper reading millions nre daily
regnlcd with the sapicnt dissertations OF
Senator Penrose on cabinet possibilities.
and the detailed story OF the incomings and
outgoingS of Governor Sproul. 1t IL kept
posted on just how Joseph X. Grumpy and
state Chairman Grow propose to wnliop the
eternal daylight out Of each other, and when
Mayor Moore will lay righteous hands on
another crooked cop.
of hard earned dollars of the public has
been relegatcd to the limbo OF neglected
things.
TT Is the vital question of Coal-of prof
L tecrng by wholesalers and retailers in
anthracite. the universal home fuel OF
Philadelphia.
New York has beaten Philadelphia to it.
The district attorney Of Brooklyn has
started an investigation that Is still on.
The Senate committee at Washington ha,
also taken up the issue. II threatens the
coal dealers with government supervision
and criminal prosecutions
New jerseys Legislature has been called
promised when the inquiry gets under wav.
Massachusetts has taken steps through its
fuel administrator to turn on the light.
Pennsylvania has done nothing. 1t will
have the opportunity to redeem itself within
the next sixty days.
IS FOR Philadelphia. it has done moth.
a ing. 1t has made n feeble protest. and
let II 60 at that; but there has been No
public demand for relief.
The citizens of the third city in the coun
try are seemingly satisfied with the situa
ton They are content to pay exOrbitant
priccs-and thank the extortioners for the
privilege.
In Washington they have started to clean
things up. The Calder committee on Mon
day raidcd the headquarters of the National
Coal Association and seized its books. The
committee means business.
Philadelphia, which Is always the objec.
Of discrimination, mctaphOrically holds out
its ,pocketbooli to the coal bnrons, big and
little. with the words, "IIclp yourselves,
gentlemen to what you think is right, and
give us as much coal as you can spare in
return"
DUT Pennsylvania has not been without
past.
Usually they have been merely white
washing squads Some of them have been
actually apologize to the coal companies.
by your leave, gentlemen, we would like
to have some information about your buSi
ness" has been the sycophnntic, almost
grovcling, attitude Of these commissions.
If the coming Legislature acts to dis
cover the cause Of the existent price condl
ton. it should be by a commission of real
Investigators.
The last anthracite commission, appointed
under the joint resolution of June 10, 1915,
by Governor Brumbaugh, was farce.
It held meetings. summoned officers ard
representatives of various wholesale and re-
tail coal concerns. examined coal trust Off
riulC md then rnn1p IFS
1t was an apology rather than report.
1t found nothing wrong. 1t was weak,
watcry. fabby affair. from start to finish.
1t confined itself to the operators side
Not miner or other individual interested
in the actual work Of digging coal was put
on the stand.
The only commcndablc thing that read
ing of the BrumbaCgh anthracite coal com
mission report disclOses is that it served
without compensation. 1t didn't deserve
anything.
IERE are few gems from this remark
IL able document:
by reason of II lack of time and ado-
Quate means the commission has not under.
taken to verify any of the figures
1T is respectfully suggested
that the average margin of profit per ton
i substantially reduced by the sale at a loss
of tn" steam sizes" Also:
by prepared sizes are meant those sizes
atorS are able to sell at n profit
the remaining smaller or steam sizes bCne
in every instance, produced at greater OK
pcnSc than that at which such sizes can &c
marketed.
The Indifference or ignorance displayed BY
the Brumhnugh commission could not b.
better set forth than in the above statement
taken from its "prClimnary conclusions"
Steam sizes of anthracite are n by.
product. 1t was so testified Under oath at
hn Tlrnnklvn hon rinp nf tho ('n1Inr
mttcc few days ago. w. II. Williams.
tilted that steam sizes of anthracite being n
therefore, SO much velvet. -
DHlLADELPHIA has a coal exchange.
L 1t is supposed to have been organized
TO protect the public. as well as 70 conserve
the interests of it's members
From recent experience, it has stood idIy
by while the public was being mulctcd.
1t iS an instance similar to that Mt City
Hall. whore policemen on the force have
,stond by and watched victim being
"friskcd' without offering any interference
The alleged reason is that the coal OK.
chang" dare not speak above whisper for
fpar Of offending tn" big producers from
whom it receives its supply. That is
the testimony.
Neither hope nor help, therefore. can DC
expected from this source
II III" Legislature can be aroused by pub
lie sentiment to take action. il may be able
to afford relief.
And tn" Legislature should act