Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-12-23

.. ~ n. 4hoTFoW. a vice president or
the organization. told how the associa-
tion drafted orders for the interstate
commerce commission to issue on trans
portatlon matters, paid the expenses of
the United States geological survey in
collecting official figures on coal pro.
ductlon, kept Joseph p Tumulty. secre-
tary of President Wilson, informed of all
steps, and successfully fought propos-
ais to re-estabEsh a fuel administration,
although coal prices continued to mount
Sold U. S. At Top
d. W. Wentz, the associations presi-
dent. testified to purchasing for the war
department at the height of the shortage
10000 tons of coal for which the gov
ernment paid s11.50 a ton. while an
other corporation which he controlled
was mining and selling contract coal
for $3.50 and S3S7 a ton.
Mr. Wentz declared his purchase of
coal for the war department had been
made over protests and agreed to
suggestion Of Senator Calder. Repubt-
can, New York that ut was bad susf-
ness for the government and increased
the difficulty for the public"
"Buy Immediately" Order
"A representative of the war depart
ment came to me and said that the de-
partment had ordered all its coal for
the winter bought Immediately, during
September" Mr. Wentz said. II said
that the department should buy little
then, little later on. and not go into
the market for the full amount, because
It could all be obtained later for mucn
less money, but ] was informed that the
order was to buy immediately"
Mr.. Wentz said he received commits
sions amounting TO $4,000 on the pur-
chases. Senator Calder, producing a
sheet OF figures, sad that millions of
tons had been obtained for the army
by other buyers during September and
october. at prices running from $500 to
$40 Another report from the shipping
board SAYING that bunker coal at Harp-
ton roads during the summer and fan
had cost the shipping board $3.50 a
ton, in quantities, Mr.. Morrow treated
by saying that it was as inexcusable
an example of government inefficiencs
as / ever saw"
Coal Shortage Touched
Chiefly the examination touched the
actions relative to coal shortage taken
bv government agencies, presumably in
the interest of consumers AT large Sen
ator Kenyon. Republican. Iowa. read a
resolution from minutes of the asso-
cations executive meetings which au-
thorized the drafting of an interstate
commerce commission order to make
mines immune from damages" for failing
TO fulfill contracts to furnish coal
The orders general effect was to
free mines from their liability to furn-
ish coal they had contracted to de-
liver?' Senator Kenyon asked Mr. Nor
row.
Planned Court Defense
Only in so far as the release was
In the public interest and necessary to
get supplies to keep the people in the
northwest and New England from freez-
ing this winter Mr. Morrow returned.
He added that the contract breaking al
lowed the coal TO move to the great Lakes
turing the summer. Senator Kenyon
developed that the national association
had agreed to go into the courts and
lefend the order" in case any operators
brought injunction proceedings against it.
Payments to the geological survey
or getting out coal production figures.
Mr. Morrow said, allowed maintenance of
practice started during the war for
which congress later reinstated aprro-
,riations. 1t cost the association $4,000
IN until last July and he said that fur
lishing the money had not allowed the
association to control the compilation.
Senator Kenyon challenged this, and pro-
luced several letters passing through as
ociation channels concerning the week
Y statements, as to how compilations
hould be arranged. and for what pur-
lose the figures could be used.