Evening star., 1921-02-12
SPEED UP INQUIRY
Of COAL COMBINES
laskey Will Have the Case in
Ten Days if War;
ranted.

Attorneys of the Department of Justice
making an investigation of the evidence
,, concerning coal prices in the District of
Columbia have been asked to expedite
the matter as much as possible, and
within ten days or less the case will b"
placed in the hands of District Attorney
John T.. Laskey. should the facts war
rant it.
Frank X. Nebeker. assistant to the
Attorney General. who is directing all
coal inquiries of the department. said
today that he did not expect the local
district attorney to take up the matter
until the department had reviewed the
evidenc" at hand which was developed
this week before the manufactures COM
mittee of the Senate.
Judge Nebeker today would not COM
ment on the probabilities of prosecution
of local coal dealers. but said that Sen
ator La Toilette was well within the
facts when he said yesterday that the
government might take such action.
During the abnormal conditions of
the war 1t was necessary that certai n
combinations of business men be
formed. such as those organized un-
der the fuel administration" said the
official. and some of these might
have constituted a technical violation
of the law. But what we are particu- =
larly interested in is the situation fol-
lowing the armiStice and demobiliZa- =
ton.
Not only in the coal trade but in
other lines of business there have
been instances where men continued
the combinations formed during the
war, but have used them for selfish
ends instead of for the protection of
the public"
The Federal Trade Commission. it is
reported, has obtained from the Sen
ate committee on manufactures the
evidence which has been submitted
regarding an alleged combination
among Washington coal dealers.
Under the law creating the Federal
Trade Commission the commission
may institute Investigations and ac-
tions on it's own responsibility. if it
deems such a course wise. or il in
vestigates after receiving complaints.
1t is believed that the commission
may go into the matter relating to
the coal dealers here of it's own in
itiative.
The announcement that the govern
ment may prosecute coal dealers of
Washington on charges of fixing prices
of coal to consumers aad driving out of
business dealers who sold below these
prices was made by Senator La Toilette.
chairman of the committee, yesterday
afternoon.
w. W. Griffith. a local coal dealer.
had taken the stand in refutatfen of
testimony previously given before the
committee making charges against
the local coal dealers association.
Senator La Toilette made the an
nouncement to protect Mr. Griffith in
his rights. Waving any question of
immunity. Mr.. Griffith proceeded with
his testimony. but little later. at the
suggestion of his attorney. he stop
ped short and withdrew from the wit
ness chair.
.It ID only fair TO you to state" said
Chairman La Toilette as Mr.. Griffith
took the stand. that ! have been ad-
vised by the government that because
of the testimony disclosed before this
committee it is now investigating with
a view to prosecution of. these practices.
which are held to be in. violation Of
law"
Mr.. Griffith replied that all he de-
sired was to give the committee the
truth.