New-York tribune., 1921-01-16
Speedy Action
On Coal Control
Bill Is Expected
Committee on Manufactures
of Senate Considers Meas
ure and Will Hold Three
Hearings Next Week
Passage Seems Assured
Walsh Shows Shipping Board
Paid $21 a Ton for Fuel
in Open Market in July

From The Tribune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.-Quick action
on the Calder bill to regulate the coal
industry is likely to be taken by the
Senate Committee on Manufactures.
That committee, of which Senator La
Toilette is chairman, took up the bill
to-day and after brief session de-
cided to devote Tuesday, Wednesday
and Thursday of next week to hearings
and after that to begin consideration
of the measure with view to disposing
Of it. A favorable report is expected.
The bill, while it is primarily for
complete publicity In the coal business,
provides that in case of emergency the
President may buy ana sell coal and,
in short, go into the coal business to
relieve the public. 1t is strongly op-
posed by representatives Of the coal
industry.
Indications are that in spite of the
opposition of the coal men the COM
mittee will not only report the bill
but will urge speedy passage at this
session of Congress. Senator Calder
is anxious for passage this winter.
Try to Change Committee
Prior to to-day there was move
mcnt on in the Senate, backed by Sen
ators Elkins and Sutherland, of West
Virginia, to have the bill referred to
some other committee than that of
Manufactures. The National Coal As
sociation was anxious to have another
committee handle the bin on the
theory that ths Manufactures Com
mittee would favor drastic regulation
of the coal industry. But nasmuch as
the Committee ON Manufactures has
actually started work on the bill, it
will remain in that committee.
DR.. Harry A. Garfield, former Fuel
Administrator, who gave valuable in
will be asked to give his views on
legislation before the Committee of
Manufactures.
Opposition is expected from the
mine workers, rs we'll as the mine
operators and coal men generally. The
reason for the opposition of the mine
workers representatives of the Ameri
can Federation of Labor at the
capitol assert, is that the bill would
give the government power to prevent
strikes. They say that while it does
not directly prohibit strikes it does
provide that in case of emergency
causing shortage of coal to the public
the government can step in and take
over the coal business. They hold
that q strike would be construed as an
emergency.
Senator Walsh, of Massachusetts, at
the meeting of the Committee on Manu-
factures to-day brought out the fact
that the Shipping Board has bought
spot market coal in large amounts at
from S16 to s21 ton. This was be-
tween July and October.
Four Alternatives Offered
Colonel W. T. Chantland, counsel for
the Calder committee, explaining the
proposed bill said:
GAS the coal situation seems to me
from public standpoint, this COM
mittee and Congress has before it four
alternatives:
"First, henceforth definitely to know
currently the facts. coupled with power
to obtain them, and disclose at once
the profiteers, and coupled with other
reasonable matters of regulation, in
Guiding provision for the government,
through the President, taking full con-
troll of the industry whenever any
emergency threatening the public
health through shortage or unreason-
Second, definitely to fix coal prices,
profits and margins at all times.
Third, for the government to take
over natural resources industry com
pletely, or
Fourth, leave this prime necessitv.
on which the health and even the lives
Of the people are so primarily depend
ent, IN private hands without regula-
tion.
eve believe the time has come when
the people no longer will consent to
this industry being left unregulated.
Likewise. the committee believes that
the prevailing sentimeny in Congress-
is against either complete nationaliza-
ton or definite fixing price except as
a last resort. With these convictions
the committee has attempted to present
Dill intended to give the maximum
or relief with the minimum of repula-
tion by covering what it believes to be
the essentials 70 prevent recurrence
OF the unspeakable conditions through
which we have recently passed"
Roads Use n Per Cent of Bitumiuous
A. G. Gutheim, of the American Rail-
way Association, who was before the
committee for a short time, said 27 to
28 per cent Of the btuminous outpur
was used by the railways.
Inc National Coal Association to-
nlght gave out letter written by
george OTIS Smith, director of the
1eoi1slcal survey, to Senator Edge, a
member OF the Committee on Recon
structlon. IN response to Senator Edge .
request for Mr.. Smiths views on the
coal situation. WV
The House to-day took a hand in
tne investigation of coal prices beonn
khby the Calder committee. Representa-
i've water II. Newton. of Minnesota,