Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-23
p. S. PAID 3 PRICES
IN COAL SHORTAGE,
SENATORS ARE TOLD
Morrow Tells How AssO-
citation Drafted Orders
l. G. G.. Issued.
WENTz BARES COMMISSION
OF $4,000 FROM BAKER
Bought Coal at Extremely High
Price for United States
Army.
FEAR OF FAMINE Is GONE
No Shortage OF Coal or Cars This
Year, Says Official OF Coal
Operators.
WENTz BARES COMMISSION
OF $4,000 FROM BAKER
FEAR OF FAMINE IS GONE
No Shortage OF Coal or Cars This
Year, Snys Official OF Coal
Operators.
INV Aasnclntcd rrnnsl

WASIiINGTOE. Dec. 22-How the
National Coal Association. an organ
ization OF coal operators. dealt with
the government and copcd with the
fuel shortage last summer. we're fields
IN which a Senate investigating com.
niittec today spent ten hours.
j. a. -. Morrow, vice -prcsidcu,
or the organic. ton. told how the as
socihtion drafted orders for the In
terstate Commerce Commission 10 is
sue on transportation matters. paid
Inc expenses OF the United States
Heo!oHicai Survey in collecting Of
hcia! figures on coal production. kept
Joseph i. Tumuliy. secretary To Pres
dent Wilson. informed o. all steps
ana successfully fought proposals to
re-cs;ab!lsh Il fuel administration. al
though coal prices continued 20
mount
H. w Wcn'z. the asslciAi!ou's pres
!dcn,. testified tp PURCHASING for the
War Department AT the height OF the
shortage 10000 tons OF coal, for
"nich the government paia Sii 30 a
ton. while another corporation which
hc controlled was mining and selling
contract coal for 1920 and s3.S!
ton.
Tho examination OF the TWO officials
OF the associates, Was crilyencd from
time TO time as Senator'S produced
correspondence taken from the or
ganisation's nles during an unan-
nounced search OF It's Offices In Wash
ing,on last Saturday and sunday. and
M ~ ,...I n
public interest of the steps taken by
the association aud government accn-
cies alike.
Purchased Over Protcst.
Mr. Wen;z declared that his pur-
rhascs q: coal for TIE War Depart
mcnt had hecn made over protest. ANA
agreed TO a suggestion or Senator
calder. Republican. New York. thar
Ill was bad business FOR the gov
ernmeu,, and increased ihr difficulty
Tor the public"
"a representative OF the War De-
rartment came 10 me and said that
':.e department had ordered all it's
ccal for the winter bought imrlcdi-
a;ciy during September" Mr. wcntz
said Il said that the department
should buy little then. a little later
on, and no: go into the market for the
inll amount. because II could all be
obtained later for much less money.
but was informed that the order
was to buy Immediately. The story
got was that the Secretary OF War
felt the step necessary"
MIR. WentZ said he received com
missions amounting to $4,000 on the
re-
ing "A sheet OF figures. said that mil
lions Of tons" had been obtained for
the army by other buyers during
4. September and October at prices
ranging from $500 to SIC.
Chiefly the examination touched
the actions relative TO coal shortage
taken by the government agencies,
presumably In the interest of con-
sumers at large.
Kenyon CritIrizrs Morrow.
Senator Kenyon. Republican. Iowa,
armed with minutes of ,thc associa-
tion's executive committee meetings.
read resolution which authorized
the drafting OF an Interstate Com
merce Commission order to make
mines immune from damages" for
falling to fuIfll contracts to furnish
coal.
You did draft that ORDER" Scna-
tor Kenyon asked Mr.. Morrow
I'VE did. and the commission is
sued II. with some changes" the wit
ness told him
( And its general effect was TO free
mines from their liability to furnish
coal they had contracted to deliver"
Senator Kenyon continued.
"Only IN so far as the release was
in the public interest. and necessary
to get supplies to keep people in the
Northwest and New England from
freezing this winter" Mr.. Morrow
replied He added that the contract
breaking allowed the coal to move
10 the Great lakes during the
summer.
Senator Kenyon developed that the
national association had agreed to
"go into the courts aud defend the
order" IN case any operators brought
injunction proceedings against it.
members disscnted from the policy.
and that Colorado local association
withdrew as body because of Il.
Paid $4,000 for Figures.
The payments to the Geological
Survey for getting out coal produc-
ti9n figures. Mr. Morrow said. al
lowed tho maintenance of n practice
started during the war. for which
Congress later reinstated appropria-
tons. 1t cost the association $4,000
up until last July and no said that
furnishing the money had not al
stcontinued on. Eighth Page.J n