New-York tribune., 1920-12-22
Calder Committee Is Told
Sl.a.Year Man Headed
Clique ThatMade $780,
900 on 100000 Tons
Army Officer Said
To Be Implicated
Wholesalers Chief Denies
Fuel Famine; Says Pro-
duction in Last Year
Smashed All Records

From The Trsbare's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2l.-Fligh gov
,rnment officials tratficked in coal In
recent months, while the public WAS
yreaning under the burden OF hign
soal prices and made big profits at
the very time consumers were com
planning OF protitcerng, according to
Information given to-day TO the Senate
special committee on reconstruction.
This committee, which is headed by
Senator Calder, has set out to make
thorough investigation of the coal
Industry.
.als went into the wholesale coal bust
ness were made TO the committee by
George II. Gushing, managing director
II the American Wholesale Coal Asso-
.la.ion. whose headquarters are IN
Washington
Mr.. Cushing also charged that rail-
road officials had Joined in the profl-
making "by diverting shipments going
over their own rails to new destina-
sions," but refused to give names ex
rept in confidence, because my muck
vaklng days are over"
Names Dollar-a-Year Man
Behind closed doors Mr.. Cushing
named one duiiar-a-year man as being
= member OF coal pool, and h.
promised to give the rest of the names
In the pool 10 the committee Senator
Calder ard others of the committee re-
fussd to make public the name of tAe
dollar-a-year man, but it was divulged
that viii e he is not prominent Off
cials associated with him are proml
steps to get at the bottom of the
charges and will subpoena the ind'
vidual named by Gushing IS being cor
cerned IN the transaction. He is said
10 have been corrected formerly with
the War Department.
InformatieA oiven the committee by
Cushing s that this official coal pool
purchased 450 00O tons and nctted q
profit thereon of s so tor, or a total
Of nearly S ).OOo The coal was not
sold to tie United States government,
but part Of it was sold here and part
Of il was sold abroad
This, how er was not the My pool
of tie kind, according 70 the version
given the committeeIy Mr.. Cushing.
others OF like character were formed
ae 'old the committee
Whether the officials who have gone
into the coal business and sought to
speculate in this fashion sre oren to
prosecution is not entirely clear
The indications are that they are
not. unless .sy can be shown to have
profteered under the Lever act. They
Are alleged to have dealt in coal as
pther wholesalers, but they had the
advantage, according to the allegations
made to the committee, of being able
to ge' advance information about coal
conditions and matters Of importance
to the coal trade.
Senators said that as near as they
sou'd Judge # the matter, certain Of
htcials had yielded to the temptation
% try to make big profits in the coal
business and ad advance information
which was useful to them.
Promises More Names
Gushing made his charges with
reference TO government officials going
INTO the coal business while the com
m''tee was conducting the hearing in
open session. II caused Il sensation
a.au na alter little while the hearing
fuJourned until tomorrow and Cush-
'hg was called before the BODY in
executive session. He gave the com
mntee one name, of the dolar-a-year
nan mentioned, and promised to look
wel o; rs memoranda and records and
g've the rest of the names. Senator
sGaider had this to say Of what Cush
'ng aivulged behind closed doors:
group Of men in the government
serV'ce formed a pool, having advance
Information as TO the needs Of certain
sonmunties. and they we're able to
make big profits"
ne added nat an army officer was
.lyoivec. This is understood to be the
aoa!ar-a year man, whose name was
gwen the committee and who is not
~" In the government service How
ger Some Of the men associated with
I'm; as alleged, are still in the service
u the government
Senator Ca'der denied that Depart
tCenueved page three)