Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-14
Sharp Criticism of Entire
Industry Contained i'm
Senate Report.
IMPLIED THREAT OF
DRASTIC ACTIONs
Present Methods Of Producing and
Distribution Must BE Reformed.i
Committee says-coai Profit.erinal
Hold to Be National Dissraee-s
Grating Leaders Held to InjurSl
Labors Cause.
By Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
Washington. Dec. 14,-sh.m ,-,rx
cism OF the national coal indu.trz..
with the implied threat Of dra.nda
legislation to meet alleged prof,tee,sl
ing and speculation. accompanied th1]
preiminary report Of the senatGa
COMMITTEES on production and recon.
strucdon. submitted to the senate tod
day.
IN general the, report suggested
government activities to bring aboui
cooperation under regulation il;
building construction, but its thretl
republican members. Senators caldeAi i
OF New York. Edge. Of New JerseI
ana Kenyon. Of Iowa, supplemental
their findings with additional stated
ments.
Present methods Of producine and
distributing coal, Chairman Calds
SAID, must be corrected" whil3i
Senator Kenyon declared that "if th3i
matter IL to go on. I. for one, harsh.
a. the remedy might be, shall favoik33
taking over the mines"
Senator Edge expressed as hia'
conclusion that 'sthe coal Industry
can not bring order out OF the pre~
vailing chaos SO am ready to modi-
" somewhat my opposition TO gov.
ernment intrusion into private busi-
ness and to advocate legitimate
scrutiny
A National Disrraes.
Coal profiteering, especially as II
has followed tho priority orders Of
tho interstate commerce commission.
has continued unchecked by the des
partment OF Justice and is a national
disgrace" the committee said In its
Joint report.
Goal speculation has been permits
ted to monopolize the transportation
facilities Of the country, retardino
necessary construction and increas4
ing the basic cost Of manufactur6
and distribution OF commodities IN
general. It has b1ed the home-ownerss,
public utilities and industries"
Government administration OF the
production and distribution OF coaii
the committee said, should be
last resort" It was recommended
that operators, wholesalers, jobbeNea
and retailers in the industry be rsa
quired to file full and frequent bus1
ness reports with q federal agency. &
Grating Leaders lnjure Labor.
In other fields, the committee sai0h5
there exists a serious shortage d
housing, not only In the great citia1B
but in the smaller cities as well, eveJ
In the far west and south" which [
held TO have dsleterious effects upol
public health, morals and industrid
growth. Labor conditions also wen
discussed by the committee.
'The misdirection and exploitatio
Of some groups of organized labo8
thru grating leadership, has been re
reported In some other large citiesM
the report said. This has spread II
combinations o. employers, whk
working together with such graftin8
labor leaders, have combined to foroe
unduly high prices"
Establishment Of moro trade schools
by cities and states for the buildinA
trades was recommended
Would Aid Home Builders.
Financing building investment, tha
committee said, should be aided N
several ways, such as lowering Of exS
cess profits and surtaxes and tax eus
emption for real estate mortgages.
The committee endorsed the prin-
ciple Of the home loan bank bin /.
which Is designed to facilitate a wida
or distribution of real estate morts
cages thru standard bond issues.
Popular saving and thrift, 1t wa
concluded. would be aided by con.
solidating all federal thrift activities
and by amending the postal savinu
law to provide adequate interest for
depositors.