New-York tribune., 1920-12-21
Calder Board
Bares l55OP.C.
Profit i'm Coal
Documents Seized at Ma.
iiona. Association Will
Be Given to Department
OF Justice for Action
More Sensations To-day
Gave $500 a Month Toward
Wages of Geological Sur
vey Men, Is Charge

From The Tribunc's WASHINGTON Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2O.-Experts Of
the Calder committee Of the Senate.
who, since Saturday night, have been
in the Offices OF the National Coal AS
sociation here, going over books and
documents, have brought to light start
ling evidence of profiteering by btu
minous coal men which will be laid
before the committee and which may
be turned over 70 the Department of
Justice.
Among the other documents found
in the Offices Of the association are re-
turns on questionnaires sent out by
the association TO member coal con-
Germs. Replies have been sent back to
The association in some instances,
though by no means all of the returns
are in. These are said to show profits
which in certain cases run up to $50
per cent. Even some Of the big COM
panies show an exorbtant percentage
of profits.
The Caller committee will begin
holding hearings tomorrow morning
and, IN addition to shedding light en-
charges Of profitecring and having i'm
portant evidence at hand on this mat
ter, various sensational disclosures are
promised.
Pays United States Salaries
Experts have dug up information in
the office OF the National Coal Assoca-
tlon which indicates that it has been
paying part Of the salaries of certain
employees of the United States Gen-
logical Survey, who are concerned in
geItng Out tne governmen. coal sta
tistics which appear regularly, showing
production thrCus nout the country and
other facts. The Calder committee in
tends to inquire into this mater TO the
bottom and find out to what extent the
coal men have had finger in Uncle
Sans statistical pie. Some time ago
Senator's pro ested strcnroUs'y be-
cause they charged that many Of the
aggi cultural department employees
were being paid by Rockefeller money
Legislation was enacted to prohibit
this practice.
It vas learned to-nish. that high
officials OF the Geological Survey will
be among those summoned before the
committee. Director George Otis
Smith, Of the survey. is Likely to be
asked to testify.
/ We hundred dollars q month is the
sum which the committee has reason
TO believe was utilized by the associa-
tion in assisting the government
through payment Of certain employees
in the Geological Survey.
The committee has been apprised that
the National Coal Association. through
an assessment on the soft coal busi-
ness has had large und at its dis
posal for purposes Of publicity and for
other objects. 1t intends to find out
in detail how this money has been
spent.
From the data in the Office of the
association the committee has learned
the coal operators are in much fear of
government ownership of the mines,
This has lead t. caustic commentaries
on Senator's Calder and Edge n some
OF the letters which have come into the
hands Of the experts.
Calder Holds Conference
Senator Calder had Il long confer
ence in his Office to-day with high
officials Of the association Vice-pres-
dent J. d. A. Morrow ard Rush C. But
Ter, general counsel Of the association,
were present Colonel D. B. Wcntz, of
Philadelphia head 0 the association,
Il here and also saw Senator Calder.
Senator Calder denied reports that
the committee actually had Sc zed the
books and documents 0 the associa-
tion and said shat, as matter Of fact,
when experts wrnt to the office Of the
association, they were assured they
could have access to the books and
documents. Mr.. Morrow made like
CONTINUED psse sIx)