Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-11-12
EXPORTS NO CAUSE
. =. FOR COAL PRICES
Interstate Board Finds Them
Factor in Some Parts, but Not
In Country as a Whole Z
s.5P. c. PRODUCED LEFT US,

washington. Nov. 12.--Foreign de-
mand for American coal was an i'm.
nortant factor In high domestic coal
prices along the Atlantic seaboard dur
ino the first nine months Of this year,
hut II was only minor factor in the
crsation of high coal prices for the coun-
INV as a whole, the Interstate Com.
msrce Commission says In a report pre-
nared for the Senate.
The report, made public today: is in
response to resolution adopted by the
Senate last June calling for an inves-
tiaation Of the effect Of coal exports on
domestic prices.
"It would be an error to assume that
fundamentally the high prices paid for
snot coal are to be ascribed mainly to
IKE large exports" says the report
'There also has been an abnormal do.
nestle situation. The foreign demand
mand and the several factors together
Afforded an opportunity for the exacting
Of prices not justified by the cost Of
production.
80 900 900 Tons Left United States
During the first nine months of 1920
the commissions tables show that a
total Of 3O.273.370 tons of coal left the
country, of which 3,5G0, ,O13 tons was
export coal and G,713,366 tons was for
foreign bunkers.
with an estimated production Of
35T ,142.S57 tons for the first nine
months Of 1920. the export and foreign
bunker coal for the nine months was S.5
per cent of the estimated total pro-
AUCTION" the commission declares. "In
c;f,,oftppu tho fpro,D,, la-
mand plays much more important part
than Is indicated by the comparison of
total production and export for the
United States as q whole
Railroads Had To Buy
During the period covered the COM
mission showed that the export and
bunker coal passing through New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Hampton
Roads and Charleston amounted to more
than one half of the shipments to those
ports. Railroads serving those ports,
the commission asserts. were forced to
buy SPIT coal at the Gxorbitant prices
quoted at those ports and were directly
affected by the upbidding of prices by
foreign buyers.
In July, 1920, the average price per
net ton of coal at the mine was So. .25
for contract coal compared with $2.47
per net ton in July, 1919. the commits
sion said, while spot coal in uly was
$8.01 per net ton ut the mine against
$2.S in July year. ago.
The anthracite industry fears the
truth and Is afraid of the light" w.
Jett Lauck. Washington economist and
counsel for the anthracite miners, de-
clared yesterday in discussing the fail
ure Of the anthracite interests to reply
to his recRnt charges. that Philadelphia
consumers were paying S3.25 a ton
more than q reasonable price for hard
coal. '.
The disposition of DR.. Z. w. Parker,
chief Of the Anthracite Bureau Of In
formation In Philadelphia, to answer
the charges with ''epithets instead Of
facts and figures" Mr.. Lauck as
serted, exhibited the characteristic
tendency of the anthracite operators and
their representatives. Only sweeping
Investigation Of the entire industry, he
said, could bring about the constructive
reforms in the hard coal trade necessary
to guarantee the public fair prices for
domestic fuel.
'The attitude of the anthracite in
dustry," continued Mr.. Lauck, "is
strictly negative and devoid of any sense
Of public responsibility. AS a matter
OF fact. at the recent hearing of the an
thracite commission, they even claimed
that the public was not interested in
the proceedings. A further illustration
OF that attitude is furnished by their
refusal at the present time to make any
reports to the Federal Trade Commits
sion showing their cost of production.
Public Should Demand Investigation"
''Tha puhl;r
cure an investigation which would break
down and effectively turn to public ben
ent the present monopolistic and ex-
plotting alliance between the anthra-
cite e-carrying railroads, the coal pro-
duclng companies and the coal sales
companies. The matter, as one of pub
tic concern, Is too serious to be dis
\ posed OF by mere epithets."
mr.. Lauck repeated his charges that
erd, coal consumers are being charged
excess or apparent profit of at
~ $3.20 ton, and called attention
the unanswered figures he had sub
mtted to support the charges. He
Mrther insisted that If the problem were
sttacked at its roots, and the vast hid
asn profits Of the anthracite combina-
Ion be eliminated, ut is possible that
tthe retail price Of anthracite coal could
se ee reduced by S. or SO a ton and still
ieave fair margin of profit to the
OPERATORS
4, Elaborate data and exhibits on an
ttaracite prices and producing costs,
Mr. Lauck said, were prepared for
spomission at the recent sessions of
PRESIDENT Wilson's Anthracite Commits
sion, but were excluded from the record
on the plea Of the operators that it was
not the business of the Presidents
commission, which had been created to
settle q wage dispute, to pry into the
cost OF anthracite production and it's
relation to wages and the cost of living.
q. The OPERATORS" said Mr.. Lauck,
were afraid of publicity. They siren.
uously opposed the submission of our
niCal grounda nrera Il od imam az aha;n