Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-21
TRADE: BOARD HEAD
URGES REVIVAL OF
COAL COMPETITION
Alternative Is Nationalist
ton of Mines, Thomp-
son Tells Body.
PROSECUTION is lMPEDED
BY OPERATORS, SAYS RILEY
Senator's Vote to Continue Fuel
Probe by Calder for In
definite Period.
LRY Associated Press |

WASHINGTON. Jan. 2o.--Today.s
study CT the coal Industry BY the
Senate committee considering the
Calder regulation bill brought from
Chairman Thompson. OF the Federal
Trade Commission. the statement that
Congress must either restore com
petition in the coal industry or face
NATURALIZATION" and from Armand
w. Riley. special assistant to the
Attorney General, charges that the
New York Wholesale Coal Associa-
tion had put every obstacle in The
way or Lever act proceedings against
aiicgcd coal prohtecrs.
Mr. Riley also presented to ihe com
mittce sales records cf Pennsylvania
anthracite mines which. he said.
showed the collection last fan of sl3
and fla ton at mine mouths for
coal which "Tar price circulars"
valued at 81. lie dcmurrcd TO giving
further public testimony regarding
| tn. New York Wholesale Coal As-
| sociation. after naming Charles $.
Allen. ita secretary. ana Gibbs l..
mental in the placing Of obstacles, bc-
cause, he said, publicity would i'm
pede the work or the grand jury pow
sitting in New York.
Goes Into Executive Session.
Chairman La Toilette thcrcupon
took the COMMITTEES into executive
session, and when it came out after
concluding with Mr.. Riley. members
voted to extend hearings on the
Calder bin an indefinite period.
Eugene c. Huffman. state fuel ad-
miniStrator for Massachusetts. an
other witness. expressed the belief
that "New England was rohaed of
$1,000 00c in the coal prices charged
last year" and added:
Goa! Is n natural resource OF the
country. created by God. rot hy man.
and belongs 10 the people Of the ccun-
try. who ought not 10 be obliged 10
guess IT its fair market prices"
Chairman Thompsou's Endorsement
OF the Calder hill was practically com
plete. and he gave the committees like
wise the opinion that Congress had
constitutional rights To require the
reporting OF coal production costs
sales prices and stocks
Mr.. Riley, discussing the anthracite
situation. drew a lin. between in
dependent producers" and railroad
companies" saying that most OF tn.
Department of Justice cost studies re-
lated To the independents. lie also
produced forms of contracts bctwccn
the mine operators AMI sales agents
10 show that most OF tho profits made
ha N oh T., h.
a;ors and that the agents received a
premium for obtaining OF higA figures
in reSalcS.
Names Alleged Offender.
Answering u question hy Senator
Walsh, Democrat, Mr.. Riley named
Madeira. lin * Co. Of Philadelphia
and New York, alleging them TO he
probably the worst OF the com
panics charging high prices. lie
charged that the head Of this com
pany also was chairman of the fair
practices committee" OF anthracite
operators No other names were
given by the witnesses.
Gibbs l.. Baker. counsel for the
New York Wholesale Association. was
accused by Mr.. Riley OF running
with the hare and hunting with the
bounds" alleging that he sat in
the Department OF Justice confer
cnces in Washington" and took good
retaining fees" from individual New
York dealers under investigation.
Secretary Allen. the witness said
wrote TO each iirm coming under in
vestisution. recommending the en-
ployment Of Baker As legal adviser