The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-21
COMPETITION OR
 NATURALIZATION. STATES THOMPSON
New York Coal Wholesalers Charged With Trying to Block Proceedings Against
 Coal Profiteers
By Associated Press

Washington, January 20.-Today's study of the coal industry by the Sen ate committee. considering the Calder regulation bill, brought from Chairman Thompson of the federal trade commis- sion the statement that Congress must either restore competition in the coal industry or face standardization" and from Armand Kelley, special assistant to the Attorney General, charges that the New York Wholesale Coal associa- ton had put every obstacle in the way of the Lever act proceedings agains, alleged coal profiteers.
 MT. Riley also presented to the com mittee sales records of Pennsylvania anthracite mines, which, he said, sho " ed the collection last fall of SIS and s15 a ton at mine mouths for coal which flair price circulars" valued at ;s. He demurred to giving further public testi mony regarding the New York Whole sale Coal association, after naming Charles s. Allen. its secretary. and Gibbs L. Baker, it's counsel, as chiefly instrumental in the placing of obstacles because, he said, publicity would im- pede the work ofethe grand jury now SHsthS x t II <Nc W ll01
 Chairman IAFol1ette thereupon took the committee into executive session, and when it came out after concluding with MT. Riley. members voted to ex tend hearings on the Calder bill an in- definite period.
 ROBBED OF $I7,0oo, o,ooo
 Eugene c. Huffman, state fuel admin lstrator for Massachusetts, another wit ness, expressed the belief that New England was robbed of $17,000. 900 in the coal prices charged last year." and added:
 Coal is natural resource of the country, created by God. not by man, and belongs to the people of the coun- try, who ought not to be obliged to guess at it's fair market prices
 Chairman Thompson iptlorsement of the Calder bill was practically complete. and he gave the committee likewise the opinion that Congress had constitutional rights to require the reporting of coal production costs, sales prices and stocks.
 MT. Riley discussing the anthracite sit- uation, drew line between 'independ- ent procedures and railroad com panies'' saying that most of the depart- ment of justice costs studies related 10 the independents. He also produced forms of contracts between the mine operators and sales agencies to show that most of the profits made by the agents got back to the operators and that the agents received a premium for the obtaining of high figures in re- sales
 Answering question by Senator Walsh. democrat, Mir. Riley named Madeira, Hill & Co. of Philadelphia and New York as probably the worst of the com panies charging high prices. He added that the head of this company also was chairman of the fair practices commit tee' of anthracite operators.
 Gibbs l.. Baker, counsel for the New York Wholesale association. was accused by Mir. Riley of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds by .ssit- ting in department of justices confer ences'' in Washington and taking good retaining fees from individual New York dealers under investigation. Secretary Allen the witness said. wrote to each firm coming under investigation. rec ommending the employment of Baker as legal adviser
 Baker told me he paid MT Allen cor tain sums, MT Riley said in conclui- ing his public testimony. He took with him into the executive session a num- ber of cancelled checks and correspond ence.
 Ralph Crews. an attorney for several large coal producers. will be heard to- morrow by the committee.