Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-01-25
CALDER CHARGES
GIANT COAL GOUGE
Public Mulcted Out Of Billion
and a Hall Last Year
Senator Declares
LUMBER PROBE NEXT WEEK
By the Associated Press

Washington. Jan. %. -- The opin-
ion that the American people w"r"
"mulctcd" of n billion and half dol
lars last year "by the mon in the coal
trade" was expressed today Ivy Sena'
tor Calder, who was witness before
the Senate committee considering his
bill for federal regulation Of the coal
industry,
Every we'll, how about the flour men,
the shoe men and some OF the rest
asked Senator Reed.
"Yes. yes" replied Senator Calder,
''but this trade is the ono we are start
ing with. Coal is Il necessity.
Senator Calder is chairman ot the
Senate reconstruction committee. which
has investigated the coal trade and
which, it was announced today. will be-
gin an inquiry next week into the lum
Der industry.
Senator Calder appeared before the
committee chiefly to reply to tho state
ment yesterday Of former Governor
Curtis. Of Maine that coal mon favored
the measure He read several letters
from coal men comp aiming about terms
of the measure and others from con
sumCrs urging is enactment
Senator Calder said taxation pro-
visions Of the bill upon which Gov
ernor Curtis based his assertion we're
drawn to driv" coal rect from II" c"ai
mines to the retail dealers.
eve have found in investigating this
subject he said, that coal has moved
back and forth between dealers, accumu-
lating in price by the profits aud com
missions involved and these provisions
are intended to tax this kind OF 0usi i
ness out of existence.
Says Resales Increase Prices
Senator Reed questioned the right OF
Congress to use the taxing powers tor
such a purpose and n long Constitut"nal
argument resulted. Senator Calder said
that before the investigation ended there
would be shown some quick deals IN
coal where three or four men bought aud
sold i over again wbi.G it was moving
on the railroad.
The investigation Of the lumber price
and supply situation will be made on
the basis of the recent report OF the
Federal Trade Commission on the ac-
tivlties of lumber associations. Sena o.
tor Kenyon will direct the examination
Of witnesses before the committee.
T. W. Mcneil. Colorado farmer,
means committee that farmers of the
country will reduce their production II
Congress fails 10 provide tariff prOteC q
tion for their crops Mr.. Mcneil urged
duties which would serve as stimulant
to production. saying that was what
was needed TO nut pep into the agri =
cultural industry"
W. 4. Wentworth. representing the
Iowa Dairy Council. said heavy impor-
tations of bsttcr Substitutes were cass-
ing losses 10 the American dairyncn
and farmers, and advocted high duties
on ingredients of such products.
Urges En- OF Speculation
Describing the Chicago board Of tradC
as 1.-THE greatest speculative market ir
the world Clifford Thornc. OF Chi,
cago, urged today before the Hous,
agriculture committee enactDeut o
legislation which would eliminate spec
ulatiOn in grain futures at the en dof {
definite period. He appeared as SpOkcs
man for the American Farm Bureau
Federation and the Farmcrs' Nationa
Grain Dealers Association.
Mr.. Thorn" suggested that the lirni
be set At two years. which he said
would give the elevator. dealers an,
milling interests time in which to read
just themselves
The yearly deals in Chicago, h,
charged totslrd fifty one times the a.
tnal grain received and three times th,
wor.d'> yearly wheat production.
"Ihc Louisiana lottery, Mr.. Thorn
contiucd, in it's pulmieSt days die
about 500 .OOO 600 business a year
whnp over $l5.NoO. 900 is warc-ed o.
the 'hirago Board Of Trade
VII. tIC CO,,I,y;,,