The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-10-08
BILL PROVIDES
COAL SEIZURE
BY PRESIDENT
Would be Authorized to Take
Over and Operate Proper
ties IN Emergency Under
Measure introduced Today.
GIVES BROAD POWERS
6By Associated Press)


WASHINGTON, Oct. S-The presi-
dent would be authorized to take over
and operate coal properties in ma.
tional fuel emergency under bill in
troduced today by Senator Kenyon,
Republican, of Iowa, chairman of the
senate labor committee
Senator kenyon's bill would be a
substitute for the general coal control
bill, in effect defeated by the senate
last summer, and would give the fed
eral trade commission broad powers
IN supervising the coal industry.
A companion bill, introduced today
by Senator Kenyon, who has charge
of the investigation of disorders in
the West Virginia coal regions, would
penalize profiteering in coal and fix
operators "and distributors profits"
The maximum profit proposed for
operators would be so cents a ton
and 40 cents for distributors. A
graded system of profits was pro-
posed, scaled according to volume
handled. The coal control bill would
give the federal trade commission au-
thority to require complete informa-
ton regarding costs, profits and all
other details of their business from
0FSA SSoAS el-'N
The commission also would be en-
powered to declare when a national
fuel emergency existed and the presi-
dents function then would be called
into operation through an executive
proclamation.
Durslg the emergency, to be ended
by a presidential proclamation, the
president would be empowered to fix
prices, take over and operate mines,
transport and sell coal He also
would have power to fix minors wag-
es, which would be a reasonable liv-
ing standard"
The bill also would give the COM
mission authority to inspect books and
other papers of coal operators and
dealers with severe penalties for re-
fusal
Another feature would impose a
new federal brokerage tax upon coal
brokers selling to others than consum-
ers, feature designed to prevent
pyramiding of prices. Supervision of
the interstate commerce commission
over coal rates, and of activities of the
geological survey and bureau of mines
IN the coal industries also would be ex-
tended.
Face Big Detection
Having bridged one gap in their
party ranks over tax revision legisla-
tion, Republican leaders in the senate
were faced today with what was re-
ported to be another sizeable defec-
ton. The chief point in controversy
was the proposal to increase the in
come surtax rate, the opposition being
led by group of prominent senators
from eastern states.
The surtax increase constitutes the
major provisions in the compromise
program agreed upon by the leaders
after conferences with senators from
the western states who insisted upon
| rate higher than the house maximum
OF 81 per cent. House leaders who
have been called into conference by
Chairman Penrose of the senate fin
ance committee, are standing out for
the house rate, Representative Mon
dell, of Wyoming, and Chairman Ford
ney of the ways and means committee
declaring that they saw no reason now
for change.
Leaders Unconcerned
Senators who drafted the compro-
mise program were understood to be
little concerned at this time, at least,
about opposition developing among
some senators from the eastern states
They took the position that it was
difficult to draft a measure that would
meet with the united support of all
Republican senators. Holding that the
amendments proposed constituted no
radical change in the fundamentals of
the house bill, the leaders Anticipated
| little difficulty in ironing out in con-
ference any differences between the
senate and house.