Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-30
PRESIDENT WILSON
MAY ASK MINERS
TO RESUME WORK
Executive Has Coal Report of
Secretary of Labor Urging
New Wage Award.

freSldent " ltSoi To-Day ndd unuer
consideration the report on th- coal
situation throughout the country
made to him yesterday by Secretary
of Labor Wilson, recommending re-
opening of the wage award OF the bi-
luminous coal commission so that il
would include wages of mine labor
ers.
Dissatisfaction of the laborers over
their wage scale has resulted in the
strike in Illinois and Indiana coal
fields. which. operators report. has
greatly curtailed product
Reports today said that the Presi-
dent might appeal to miners who are
on strike in Illinois and Indiana to
return to work pending amica BILE set
tlement of their grievances. De
VIII be discussed at conference in
New York Monday between represent
atlVes of four government depart
ments and committee from the coal
industry. Plans for aVertine coal
famine next winter and for checking
prohteering in the coal trade viii
also be considered at the conference.
Acting Attorney General Ames said
today. He said he hoped that the gov
ernment might develop a program on
winch coal men could come half way"
80 SNi'iiiS tlAf Codt DIoDlcIn-
Will Allocate Coal.
While other government agencies
were attempting to remove the cause
of the serious coal shortage. the In
terState Commerce Commission acted
to allocate coal as needed for inn
mediate use from the nearest pos
Sible mines.
Chairman Clark of the commission
today sent to agtnts appointed by the
commission to supervise emergency
movement of coal to Lake Erie ports
and New Engla nd. estimates of the
amounts needed for those localities
and directing the movement of the re-
quired quantity of coal from the diff
ferent fields. In a letter to II. NJ.
Griggs of Cleveland. Ohio. the chair
man estimated that total of 2o.000.-
600 tons. 1000 ears moving nifty tons
per car for 100 days. could be moved
from fields in Ohio. Pennsylvania and
West Virginia during the balance of
the navigation season from July 10.
He told j. w. Howe OF New York
and T.. NJ Graham of Norfolk that
coal for New England is to be moved
in estimated monthly quantities of
250.000 tons through New YORK,
100000 tons through Philadelphia.
250.000 tons through Baltimore and
$4,000 through Hampton roads,
monthly total of 125o.ooO tons.
Chairman Clark also wrote Daniel
willard. chairman of the advisory
committee of railway executives. and
D. b. Wentz, elairman of the btu
mious coal shippers committee. that
the commissions emergency orders
for the relief of New England and
lake ports do not require any change
in the rules governing the ratings of
mines and the distribution OF cars
when the available supply OF cars is
less than 100 per cent.
No Reason for Scarcity.
Acting Attorney General -Ames said
today there was no reason for a
scarcity of fuel at the present time
and thai If a shortage existed il was
through faulty distribution. He added
that there were no economical rea-
sons" for the high coal prices which
obtain throughout the country. This
particular phase of the situation, he
said. is being given close study both
by the Department OF Justice and by
many representative of the coal in
dustry who fCel that present condi-
tions should undergo a change"
Although the question of an en-
barge on export coal viii be discussed
at the conference Monday. Mr.. Ames
said it appeared that the embargo
could be discarded as an effective
means Of increasing the supply avail
able for domestic use. Less than TO-
000 600 tons of coal have been eX-
ported during the first six months of
this year. including shipments to Can
ada, he said. and this amount had not
therefore materially reduced the
stocks in this country. with a produc-
ton for the period estimated at 255,
000 00o tons
Secretary of Commerce Alexander,
Secretary of the Navy Daniels and
Chairman Benson of the shipping
Board have been invited to send rep
reSentatives to the New York con-
ference. The interest of these de-
partments in finding a solution to the
difficulties besetting the coal trade,
Mr. Ames said. lay in the fact that
both the Navy Department and the
Shipping Board We're heavy purchas-
ers of coal for bunkering, while the
Department of Commerce always has
been of aid to the industry in su-
pervisory way.
ProfiteeritG Prosecutions.
Prosecutions on profiteering charges
on coal sales have been instituted
against twenty coal operators and
brokers in eastern Tennessee. the De-
partment of Justice has been advised
by United States Attorney kennerly at
Knoxville Attorney kennerly reported
that the men would be taken before
United States commissioners as soon as
they had been arrested and evidence
presented TO show that they have been
selling bituminous coal at from s. to
$3.50 a ton.