The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-13
I.C. "OPENS WAY
TO COAL GRAFT:
KEEPS PRICES UP
Car Congestion Intensified
by It's Special Service
Orders.
OPERATORS TO ACT
Soft Coal Men Are Going to
Capital to Demand End
of Practice.
ANDRADE BARES EVILS
New York Wholesaler Shows
How PrOfiteers Have Made
Millions.

Honest bituminous coal operators
and wholesalers whose hands have not
been solled with brides, srnirched with
the scandals that have begun now to
become public through the courts. are
inclined to hold the Government itself
responsible in no small degree for some
of the conditions that have nurtured
those scandals.
The long series of special service
orders issued by the Interstate Com
merce Commission from time to time
to meet emergency conditions, they
hold, in many instances have done
more harm than good. They have in
tensified congestion instead of reliev-
ing it, and often have opened ready
door to the corruption. bribery and
graft that have been rife all the way
from mine mouth to tidewater.
a delegation OF influential Eastern
district soft coal operators expects To
go TO Washington tomorrow to endeavor
to persuade the Interstate Commerce
Commission to annul or modify the pres
ent special service order under which
large shipments OF coal are being sent
to the Northwest They say they are
IN position to prove beyond cavil that
much OF this fuel ostensibly destined to
relieve threatened famine in Northwest
ern States. is being diverted to Canada
to fatten the purses of profteers. This
merely by way of illustration of the
abuses to which INSCRIPTIONS men have
found 1t possible to bend the railroad
service orders intended for wholly laud-
able purposes. The public already
knows. through the columns OF TIKI
HERALD, how profiteers have prosti-
tuted to their own enrichment the
priority certificates issued for purpose
no less praiseworthy.
No New York wholesaler probably Is
more respected in the trade than c. An
drade, Jr. He is president of the Whole
sale Coal Trade Association of New
York and his partner. Mr.. Eyre. in An
4rade-Eyre Inc, is the president Of the
national organization-the Wholesale
Coal Trade Association of America
Andrade Gives Views.
"To understand just what has hap
Dened IN the SOFT coal trade, said Mr.
Andrade yesterday 10 a HERALD reporter
zone must bark back to the so-called
outlaw switchmen's strike OF last April
Z tended TO tie up coal at the mines or
In transit Hundreds OF steamships
were lying in this harbor and in all
Eastern ports awaiting bunker coal. not
20 mention cargo coal for the legitimate
export trade. Every day of such en-
forced delay to ocean carriers is tremen-
dously costly. They could better AFFORD
20 pay extortionate prices for fuel than
o lie idly in port.
Right there was the golden oppor-
tunity for that flock of harpies. grafters
and profiteers who have enriched them
selves TO the tune OF millions at the
public expense. who have boosted coal
prices unprecedentedly and brought the
entire trade more or less into disgrace.
Most of the mines we're under long term
contract commitments for the whole or
the greater part OF their output at
from 81 to So ton at the mines. Along
comes the coal gambler. He insidiously
suggests 10 the mine operator that he is
n fool TO sell his output at such terms.
The soft coal gambler is willing to pay
him double his contract commitment