Bisbee daily review., 1920-12-23
.COAL OPERATORS l. DICTATED ]. ]. FuFl POLICY E CHARGE Sensational Allegations Are
 Made Yesterday Before
 Senate Committee INEFFICIENCY IS SHOWN Head of Association Declares War Department Paid High
 Prices Without Cause
INEFFICIENCY IS SHOWN

WASHINGTON Dec. 22-How the National Coal Association, an organi- zation of coal operators, dealt with the government and coped with the fuel shortage last sumiher were i-ei1s in which a senate Investigating com mittee today spent 10 hours.
 J. D. A. Morrow, d vice 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 geolo- sical survey in collecting official fi- gureS on coal production. Kept Joseph F. Tumuity, secretary to President Wilson. informed of all steps. and successfully fought proposals 10 rees- tablish a fuel administration although coal prices continued to mount
 D. W. WenIz, -he associations pres ident, testified to purchasing for the war department at the height Of the shortage, f5,000 tons of coal, fol WHICH the government paid 511.50 ton. While another corporation which he controlled was mining and selling contract coal for 55 2U and s557 ton.
 The examination of the two off cialS of the association was enliven- ed from time to time as senators pro- duced correspondence taken from the organizations files during an unan- nounced search of its oi1ices in wash ington last Saturday and Sunday and questioned sharply the purpose and public interest of the steps taken by the association and government agencies alike.
 Made Over Protest
 WentZ declared that his purchase of coal for the war department had been made over protest. and agreed to a suggestion of Senator Calder, Republican of New York, that it " as bad business for the government and increased the difficulty for the pub lie"
 "A representative of the war de parmtent came to me and sail that the department had ordered all it's coal for the winter bought immediate ly Fduring September" WGntz said. "I said that the department should buy a little then. little later on dad not go into the market for the full amount because it could all be obtain l was informed that the order was to buy immediately. The story l got was that the secretary of war felt the step necessary"
 Wentz said he received commis- sions amounting to $f5.0O0 on the purchases. Senator Calder. producing sheet of figures. said that millions of tons had been obtained for the army by other buyers during Septem- Der and October at prices ranging from S6.j0 to $16. Anothe rreport. from the shipping boaru saying that bunker coa lat Hampton Roads dur ing the summer and fan had cost the shipping board $1650 ton, in quanti- ties. Morrow treated by saving that it was as ineXcusable an example of government ineffic1ency as ever I saw"
 Operators Drafted Order
 ChieIy the eXaminatoin touched the aclions relative to coal shortage talk en by the government agencies. pre- sumabiy in the interests of consum- CTS at large Senator Kenyon. Repub- lican of Iowa. armed with minutes of the associations executive committee | meetings, read resolution which au- tnOrlZed the drafting Oi an interstate l commerce commission oIyer to make | mines immune from damages" for | failing 10 fulfill contracts to furnish 1 coal.
 You did draft that order?" Senator Kenyon asked Morrow
 We did. and the commission issu- ed it. with some changes" the wit l ness told him.
 And it's general effect was to free , mines from their liability to furnish { coai they had contracTed to deliver?" Senator Nenyon continued.
 Only insofar as the release was in l the public interest. and necessary 70 get supplies to keep people in the northwest and New England from i freezing this winter" Morrow contin- ued. He added that the contract ] breaking allowed the coal to move to the great Lakes during the summer
 Further Charges Made
 Senator Kenyon developed that the National Association had agreed to Ego into the courts and defend the
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