The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-06
High Prices Not Due to Any
One Source, Says Court.
Seven Factors Contained in Res
port of Kansas Conditions.
MAY BRING ANTITRUST SUITS
May Criticise Existing Wage
Agreement of Miners.
Higher Freight Rates Have
Added Much to Cost.

Existing conditions in the coal fields
and high prices of fuel are not charge
able to any one source. Seven factors
enter into the making of high coal
prices in Kansas, according to the re-
port which the Industrial court will
file next week with Governor Allen.
The court in it's analysis of the coal
situation declares prices are due to
seven contributing factors. They in
clude:
Continuation of wartime profit grab
bing by retailers.
Inefficiency of mine workers.
Wasteful and expensive mining
methods.
Profits of producers
Profits of wholesalers.
High freight rates.
To Bring Antitrust Suits.
Governor Allen has announced plans
to direct the attorney general to bring
antitrust suits should the industrial
court report show existence of an IL
! legal combine or agreement among the
producers or retailers. The courts
report will seemingly not seek to fix
responsibility for high coal prices on
any organization or set of men.
Neither will it limit the responsibility
to single operating or selling cost.
1t is probable that the court will di-
rect severe criticism toward the exist
ing wage agreement between the OPP
orators and miners. The present scale
was made for a period of two years
and does not expire until April, 1929.
Under the existing agreement COM
mon labor in the mines receives an
average of $3.50 a day in wages This
class of labor is not the. actual miner
| or coal producer. Court members
found it did not belong in any classi-
fication of skilled workers.
Do Only Little Digging.
| of the sorrow has been taken out of
| the life of tine actual miner. Ex-
cessive use of dynamite leaves little
actual digging for the miners in the
few deep shaft mines in Kansas. Use
of explosives, tho, has brought a
crease of the percentage of slack
| from 80 per cent-the average several
years ago--to between 40 and 80 per
| cent atsthe present time. General eff
/ ficiency of the mine worker has also
| been lowered, operators told the court.
| High freight rates have added much
to the cost of coal. Nor was the re-
cent rate increase in effect when the
court made its inquiry in the coal
fields
Good Return on Investment
Producers have been averaging ten
per cent on their investment, the court
found. This is held to be good re-
turn on the investment-even at the
operators own figures.
Little coal is sold direct to retailers
1t is marketed thru selling agencies.
lin certain instances producers were
shown to be interested in the selling
| companies which took a fair toll for
their services.
| Nor is the retailer exactly starving
If he car market enough coal In
spite of the fact that cost of hauling
fuel has been materially reduced, re-
tailers in all sections of the state were
found by the court to retain the SO
tton margin which was allowed during
the Garfield administration. Expense
of hauling coal has been reduced from
l$1.25 ton to T5 cents and $1.00
ton But the retailer frequently for
got to pass the asing to his Gus
toners.
There is rather slight chance that
| the courts report will carry recom-
mendations for prosecutions. The re-
port is expected to go to Governor
Allen late today or Monday.
Investigations Started in Spring.
Investigation of the coal situation
began last spring and has occupied
much of the time since then. The pur-
pose of the report is largely to acquant
1.-THE public with conditions.
! 1t is probable that next year the
court will attempt to take hand in
the making of a new wage contract.
Limitations of the industrial court act
regarding powers of the court to di-
rect prosecutions or to regulate profit
taking or prices of commodities leaves
little opportunity for action except in
case where direct violation of law is
shown. There is apparently little in
the report to indicate basis for any
action by the state.
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