The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-14
COAL TRADE WOULD
GUST UNDESIRABLES
Underwater Exchange Meeting
To-day Set for Taking Ac-
ton in Graft Expose.
EDISON TRIAL DELAYED
Court Fixes Next Wednesday
for Defendants to Have
Cases Ready.

tUptb AeN'Uts
Organizations of bituminous coal
dealers and operators have embarked
upon an autumn housekeeping far
moro drastic than common. Impeiled
by the crimes and abuses of which
the honest men among them, as Well
as the public. have been made victims,
they are vieing with one another to
purge their membership rolls OF crooks
and sharpers and to adopt new rules
clude graft, trickery, gambling and
bribery from the trade.
An important meeting is called for
to-day OF the executive committee OF
the Tidewater Coal Exchange, Int,
the primary purpose OF which is to
consider and recommend such amend
ment to the present rules governing
admission to membership as may OPP
crate toward the exclusion of unde-
sirablo and INSCRIPTIONS members
There is in the organization some di-
vergence OF opinion concerning just
how far the exchange may be able to
go in the proposed restriction. Some
hold that a membership committee Of
the exchange may be endowed with
discretionary powers approyimating
those &C n private club in the selec-
ton or exclusion or applicants for
membership.
There are others who contend that Is
impossible. Under tho constitution Of
the Tidewater Coal Exchange and in
tho very nature of it's business, which
is to facilitate coal movements by the
pooling and dumping OF soft coal at the
tidewater ports OF New York. Philadel-
phia and Baltimore, it is essential that
the coal carrying roads serving those
ports shall be comembers, enjoying equal
privileges with the wholesalers and ex-
porters. The coal roads under the law
are common carriers. 1t has been held
by some that, since the roads are pay
ing one-half the expenses OF the Tide
water Exchange. they could not he party
to the exclusion OF any eligible appli-
cant or actual member without danger
Of running afoul Of the sherman law.
New Rules Improve Situation.
New rules adopted last August and
revised "a OF September by the Tide
water Exchange already have done much
and promise to do more to check such
abuses as that mentioned and to dis
| courage the tricks of the coal gambler
Three of those rules, each of them
wholly new. follow:
"32. The. transfer between members Of
actual cars will not be permitted. The
transfer of tonnage credits will only be
made upon authority OF transferer in
writing and acceptance of transferec in
writing and upon transferee furnishing
satisfactory evidence OF his ability to i'm
mediately furnish vessel for dumping.
| "33. Upon failure of any member to
| dump credits available for dumping
promptly, the Commissioner shall direct
| him in writing to dump such credits inn
| mediately. For failure to dump such
! credits within forty-eight hours after
| date of such notice penalty Of 10 cents
per ton per day on credits not dumped
| shall be assessed against such member
! and collected by the Commissioner.
"34. No member shall knowingly over
ship any permit covering shipment Of
coal TO tidewater piers issued by law
/ full authority. Any member wilfully
| overshipping any such permit shall be
! subject to suspension or expulsion in
| accordance with methods provided
| therefor by the charter"
The Wholesale Coal Trade Associa-
| ton of New York also is hard at work
| housecleaning. The HERALD told few
days ago how its members had pledged
| themselves not 10 exceed n maximum
| of 10 per cent. profit and had appointed
a grievance committee to hear COM
plants and to busy Itself in the cor
rection of abuses IN the trade. The
| association has done more than that
| II now has named a membership COM
| mittee also, and It Is said that aspirants
\ hereafter will be sifted through fine
mesh.
Edison Trial Postponed.
Judge Julius NJ. Mayer, in the United
States District Court yesterday, granted
an extension OF n week for the enter
| ing OF pleas in the cases OF tho Brook
| Ign Edison Company. Inc, and its vice.
president and general manager, Walter
f.. Wells, indicted for conspiracy TO
! violate the Lever act in connection with
! the juggling OF the coal supply OF the
COMPANY.
When the case was called there was
in court an impressive array Of coun-
sell The Brooklyn corporation was rep
resented by George l.. Ingraham, former
] Justice of the Court of Appeals. while
Mr.. Wells's attorney was Charles A.
Perkins, one-time District Attorney OF
| New York county. There were also III
the court room former United States
Senator James A. oGorman and George
Gordon Battle watching the interests
| of their client, the Adelphia Coal Com
! pany, which was Jointly indicted with
the Brooklyn Td,ton, ana the u. j.
Lynch Coal Company.
Profiteering in coal was charged and
denounced in resolutions adopted yester-
day at a conferences OF the National Coal
| Dealers Association at the Waldorf. at
tended by representatives OF two-thirds
OF the bitumii. Gus coal producers OF the
country The resolutions repudiated rs
unreasonable prices now being asked for
soft cca,
The price level OF soft coal is affected.
t was stated. by speculation, by small
mine owners who operate only when the
| market IS abnormally high and by mid
dlemen who take over reconsigned ship
ments and sell them TO the highest
bidders.
FIRE DAMAGES u. S.
Y a q