Arizona republican., 1920-12-23
WENTz TEST|F|ES COALCOMN|SS|ON
 ON GOVERNMENT. ORDERS S75,000
Coal Association President Tells How Government
 Was 'Fleeced On War Dept. Coal Contract
IRepubIIcan A. p. Leased wirel

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22-How the National Coal association, an organ ization of coal operators dealt with the government and coped Vith the fuel shortage of last summer were fields in which a senate Investigating committee today spent 10 hours
 J. D. A. Morrow, a president of the organization, told how the as- sociation drafted orders for the inter- state commerce commission to issue on transportation matters, paid the expenses of the United States geolog- fcal survey in collecting official fig ures on coal production, kept Joseph F. Tumulty, secretary to President Wilson. informed of all steps and sue- cessfully fought proposals to re-es- tablish a fuel administration although coal prices continued to mount.
 D. W. Wentz. the associations pres ident, testified to purchasing for the war department at the height of the shortage, 15,000 tons of coal, for which the government paid $11.50 a ton. while another corporation which he controlled was mining and selling contract coal for $3.20 and $3.S7 a ton. The examination of the two off cials of the association was enlivened from time to time as senators pro- duced correspondence taken from the ! VI 5S@A4NeAtAOn S lliGS uUI1u& an undn- nouneed search of its offices in Wash ington last Saturday and Sunday and | questioned sharply the purpose and ! public interest of the steps taken by ! the. association and government 1 agencies alike.
 MT. Wentz declared that his pur- | chase of coal for the war department mad been made over protest. and | agreed to a suggestion of Senator Cal n fna, ,f was bad business for the government and increased the difficulty for the public"
 "A representative of the war depart ment came to me and said that the ! department had ordered all its coal Tor the winter bought immediately during September" 4Ir. Wentz said. sald that the department should ouy little then, a little later on and not go into the market for the full amount because it all could be ob- tanned later for much less money. but l was Informed that the order was to buy immediately. The story I got was mat the secretary of war felt the step necessary"
 All Branches Victimized
 MT Wentz said he received commits sions amounting to $75,O00 on the pur- chaSes. Senator Calder. nroduciner q
 
 tons had been obtained for the ram, py other buyers during September anc October at prices ranging from $6. to Sl5. Another report from the shin, ping board saying that bunker coal a Hampton Roads during the summei and fall had cost the shipping board Slo.5O a ton, in quantities. MT Morrow answered by saying that t was ar lineXcusable an example of governmenf lnefficiency as l ever saw"
 Chiefly the examination touched tho actions relative to coal shortage taller by the government agencies. preslIrna. bly, in the interest of consumers al large. Senator Kenyon, Republican ot Iowa. armed with minutes of the asso- iciauon's executive meetings, read a res oluuon which authorized the "draftfns of an interstate commerce commission order to make mines immune from damages for failing to fulfill contracts to furnish coal
 You did draft that order?" Senate, Kenyon asked AIr Morrow
 We did, and the commission issuec it. with some changes" the witness tolc him.
 And it's general effect was 10 ire, mines from their liability to furnish coal they had contracted to deliver %
 Continued on Page Two)