Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-09
Coal Industry on Trial

COAl. consumers throughout the country
- are receiving notices that the price OF
coal during the coming year will be adj
ranced. the extent OF that advance to be
dictated by conditions not yet settled This
Is. OF course. the inevitable result of the
order Of the President lifting oil regula-
tions as To price fixing by the government.
plus the fact that the operators and mine
workers have agreed upon Il new wage
scale - per cent in advance OF that in
effect last year
While these circumstances are generally
known and understood. there is natural ner-
vousness on the part Of coal consumers as
30 what is in store for them They do not
know whether they are TO be prohteered
against: whether or not the government is
to stand behind them or whether it will
Yet be necessary TO appeal to Congress for
legislation which will put the fuel industry
on n permanent basis OF regulation
The coal people themselves would do we'll
10 be moderate in their use of the freedom
which the Presden, has given them. They
should remember that he invoked the Lever
act twice in order 10 take the coal trade
out OF the hands OF private interests. and
may do 80 again If he finds reason for
such action. ANY such move would be SO
radical as to be revolutionary in view or
the Presidents public statement that the
coal business should return at once to
peace status, and yet il he should conclude
that profteering were being practiced to
such an extent as to make government
price fixing necessary once more. II is con-
ceivable tina, he would return again to the
Lever act.
Meantime, the Department Of Justice at
the direction of the President. has adopted
policy Of vigilance regarding the trade
and is In position TO proceed immed lately
against any OF those who may in the judg-
ment OF the department be inclined TO raise
prices unnecessarily. 1t has just been ruled
bY the department, in the Baltimore case.
that local fair-price commissioners are not
authorized to set maximum coal prices or
to discipline profiteers in the coal trade.
hut this ruling does not prevent fair-price
officials of the department from reporting
any case under their observation OF ex-
cessive prices.
Then. too, there is Congress. with legis-
lation before il proposing the creation or
q coal commission, and with other bills
under consideration which vitality involve
the coal industry. There is no apparent
danger in the Frclinghuysen bills. as now
drawn, most coal authorities agree hut
every coal man knows that once Congress
launches upon coal legislation program,
there is no way OF knowing where il will
stop.
In the first place. the Frelinghuysen bills
may be radically amended in either the
House or Senate. or both. before they are
allowed to become law. The committee
of which the New Jerseyian is chairman has
no power to control the action OF Congress,
and il is a well-known fact that there are
many members OF both houses who will
seek To force permanent peace-tme regu
laiions upon the coal industry. IL ever an
opportunity presents itself. Or If the pend
ing measures should he passed as originally
drawn, there is no guarantee that Congress
from year to year. would not extend the
powers given the coal commissioner just
as in the case OF the Interstate Commerce
Commission