New-York tribune., 1921-01-20
Calder Coal Bill
Denounced as
Revolutionary
Vice-President Morrow of
Operators Association
Attacks Measure Before
Congressional Committee
Senators Challenge Stand
Deny Charge of Undue Haste:
Act Is Endorsed by Chief
of Federal Trade Board
Senators Challenge Stand

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10. prov;s;ors
OF the Calder bill for Federal regula.
tion OF the coal industry were de-
nounced as Revolutionary in their ap-
phcatlon to existing relations of Amer
lcan government and industry" bv J.
u. "A. Morrow, vice-president of the Ma
.ional Coal Association, to-day before
the Senate Manufactures Committee.
Another witness, Huston Thompson.
chairman Of the Federal Trade Com
mission, appearing late in the day,
however, began an Endorsement of the
measure, which was cut short bv ad-
Journment until tomorrow, when he
will resume.
Mr.. Morrow's stand was challenged
oy members of the committee. When
ne remarked that the committee "be-
tween three days" was passing upon q
proposal for price fixing and a measure
that was barely short of nationaliza-
ton of coal mines" Senator Jones.
Democrat, New Mexico. retorted that
members of the committee had "spent
months and years in study of the situ-
alton
Embargo on Coal Ineffective
When Senator Walsh, Democrat. of
massachusetts,, raised the question of
high prices paid in New England for
coal last year, suggesting that the gov
ernment and the industry had failed to
cure the difficulty "by placing an en-
barge on export coal, as Great Britain
dld," Mr.. Morrow countered with the
assertion that New England was
manufacturing district and that "coal
| barge when other producers using coal
to make things for export are willing
to stand it," Senator W,.lsh responded
with the statement that coal and milk
were commodities that the government
ought to prepare to take charge of first
in emergency
Senator Reed. of Missouri. inter-
vened in the discussion at this poine
to declare that he was seeking "com-
mon ground" for the various conflicts
before the committee and asked Mr..
Morrow whether the provisions of the
Calder bill for publicity of production
costs, prices, distribution and stocks of
coal were Objectionable to mine own
ers.
If we could be sure" replied Mr..
Morrow, "that in corsenting to the
compulsory demand of the government
for these statistics, we would not be
admitting interpretations Of the con-
stitution and its principles, which
! beyond that, l think you would have
little trouble"
Association Expenses Abnormal
IL
ganization costs to come out Of coal
ton itself and Mr.. Morrow cited it's
annual expenses as about 100000,
covering some activities which he said
in recent years were abnormal, and
| his own salary at $4,000 year. All
this, Senator La Toilette, observed,
"had to come out of coal production
costs" Senator Reed promptly
pointed 20 officers of the Mine Work
ers' Union, attending the hearing, and
suggested the miners had "some or
ganization costs to come out Of coal
too" Mr.. Morrow agreed to both
suggestions.
Senator Reed drew from the witness
numerous statements that coal re-
/ sources of the United States are i'm
mense in extent and that continuing
shortage of supply is impossible.
Senator Thompson explained that the
Federal Trade Commission in 1920 had
embarked upon cost-fnding investiga-
tions in the coal industry, but had
been stopped by the courts upon the
appeal of the National Coal Associa-
ton. Many coal operators, he added,
were willing, however, to furnish cost
reports to the commission in spite of
the commissions stand against accept
ing them in view of the court action.