The Washington times., 1920-04-05
|CALLS S2 BOOST IN
COAL UNNECESSARY
Secretary Says Bituminous
Operators viii Aid Laskey
In Prosecutions.

THE price OF bituminous coal at
the mines will not be advanced TO any
degree that will Justify an increase
or ~ ton to the consumer" de-
clared John b. Pratt. secretary OF the
Bituminous Coal Operators this
morning.
There will be an advance In price.
undoubtedly, to cover the advance Of
the II per cent wage raise granted
the miners. The operators are In
such position that they cannot alb
sorb II. As nearly as can be said
ofbhand. the increase in wages will
amount TO about 81 cents a ton.
THE IA per cent increase in wages
granted in December has been a
heavy tax on the operators, who were
receiving only about 40 cents a ton
net at the mine for their product, so
II will be absolutely necessary to
pass the present increase on to the
middlemen and the public. There are
other items which cannot be given
offhand, but II can be stated defnite-
ly that the total will not be 81
ton.
VIII Aid Laskey.
"The bituminous coal operators want
to receive Information on dealers who
are. taking advantage of the situation
to increase the price exorbitantly.
They will gladly place at the disposal
Of District Attorney Laskey or OF
other Investigators, their figures on
costs and profits. which are already
In the possession OF the bituminous
coal commission. and to show the
cost OF coal at the mine as compared
with previous costs.
''The price has not been adjusted
yet. but 1t will be such that an ad-
~ -.
unjustifiable. The bituminous coal
operators do not want to be placed
In position of responsibility or con-
currence in any such profiteering."
Ominous silence hung over the To-
cal coal situation today, following the
order of the Attorney General to all
United States district attorneys Sat
urday to investigate and prosecute
any attempts to profiteer on the pre-
text of the ~ per cent increase to
Up To District Attorneys.
The matter is entirely up to the
attorneys" was the word
given out from the office of the At
torney General. "They will use their
own judgment as to what 10 pronteer-
ing and will invoke the Lever act
where II Is applicable"
II cannot give any information at
this time as to whether complaints
tion will be taken" said District At
torney John Z. Laskey.
w. Hamilton Smith, president OF
the Washington Coal Merchants As
ISOLATION, declined to answer any
quesNon as to what the retail mer-
will do.
81 have not been able to get any
coal or any prices" said w. w. Grif-
fifth. one Of the largest dealers in
Washington. II have nothing on
hand except pea coal. which Is SELL
ing at the old price OF $500 a ton.
I have told my customers to place
their order under the assurance that
the coal would be delivered when
could get IT and at a price reasonable
on the basis of the cost to me. What
the price will be I am not able to
tell. I hope to know this afternoon.
as the situation is embarrassing"
Lack Coal Cars.
A statement given out by the opera
tore through Secretary Pratt today
said:
Operators find themselves at this
time with only from 80 to so per cent
fothe normal supply OF cars with
which to get coal to the market.
Along with this there is an abnormal
demand for coal throughout the coun-
try. Until the car shortage is ad-
justed, SO that something approach.
ing an ample supply may be obtained,
1t will be difficult for the operators
to meet the unusual demand for coal
and for chaotic conditions to be re-
stored to normal
"In the meantime operators will
do all in their power to see that
prices do not go beyond reasonable
bounds"