Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-06-10
CLASH BETWEEN
COAL MEN And
SECY. HOOVER
Bituminous Operators
Charge Attempt to
Evade Real Issue
SAY PUBLIC IGNORED
Commerce Secretary in Reply Renews
Suggestion as to How They Can
Help Out.

Washington, June 10.-Secretary
Hoover and the retail coal merchants
clashed again yesterday when open
letters were exchanged, the retailers
charging Mr.. Hoover with deliberate
ly ignoringSthe Interests of the people,
and of an Intention to evade the issue
raisd ebetween him and the distrlbu-
tors. and with Mr.. Hoover insisting
that the retailers "do away with dis
putes on trivial questions and enter
upon cooperation" with him.
Meanwhile the Department of COM
merce made public a statement SHOW
ing the spot-price situation IN the
larger non-uniOn fields as OF June .
Smokeless coal, it is shown, was sold
at the lHne. household sizes, for S3:i0,
and steam sizes, at $3.50. West Vir--
ginia high-volatile coal, household
sizes. sold for 1925, and steam sizes,
S2.75. Southeast Kentucky, household
sizes. sold for 1928, and steam Sizes
S2.S5. Run of mine sold in New YORK
for $500. and smokeiess run OF mine
sold at Hampton Roads, f. o. b. YES
sci, at S6.10.
The letter of the retailers addressed
to Mr.. Hoover is as follows:
1--WE desire to acknowledge receipt
of YOUR communication addressed to
the National Retail toal Merchants
Association under date Of June Z.
ut is very apparent from the tone
of YOUR letter that it is your intention
10 evade the issue, and we feel it Will
be waste of time to continue this dis
cussion. Fortunately for the interest
of our organization, the issue rests
upon a state of facts capable OF proof,
and. further, the record rs clear as to
our expressed willingness and sincere
desire to cooperate, so far as you VIII
permit. to prevent avoidable increase
in retail prices.
"With the knowledge which you
should have of the coal business, 1t is
surprising that you would so confuse
the question at issue and attempt to
compromise our position. You must
know that our reference to household
tonnage in Chicago, which is the point
under discussion, naturally included
the apartment house as well as the
home. both of which are consumers Oh
mine-run coal chiefly and use only
very small percentage of lump or pre-
cared sizes of bituminous coal.
"For instance. in the tonnage re-
port of one retail company in Chicago.
showing an annual distribution OF
200 900 tos of smokeless coal, less than
1000 tons is prepared coal. and yet
this company caters chiefly TO the
| householder.
ave affirm that in your attempt to
prevent an undue advance in the price
of bituminous coal, you have failed 10
consider the interest of a substantial
proportion of the consuming public,
and that the savings which you claim
TO have brought out in respect to lump
even if true. which we do not admit,
are applicable only to a small propor-
tisn of the consumers affected.
ave also cannot but feel that you
have deliberately ignored the interest
of the neople in refusing to treat with
us to the extent of bringing about
solution to the problem confronting
u.s."
Mr.. Hoover's reply, issued last night
is as follows:
''I am in receipt Of your "ommunica-
sion of June q. 7 notice that you do
not reply to the last paragraph OF my
letter which was as follows:
att does seem to me that the retail
coal dealers could play a fine part in
this emergency if they would follow
! this suggestion:
"'(a) All coal 30 he sold at cost,
plus q reasonable handling charge.
"'(b) The cheap pre-strike and con-
tract coal tn be reserved for the small
ley household trade.
"'(c) Steam and larger domestic
consumers to be supplied from current
purchases, plus reasonable handling
charge.
"t(d) Co-operate to prevent rising
mine prices. for some districts are re-
fusi\g 70 accept the formula | have
outlined ahove and asNsAsking 50 ton.
"(e) Handle coal on straight lines
from operators and wholesaler. with
out speculative rasales in the trade.
"'Bv such cooperation ] feel sure
we can save the public from runaway
nrices such as we witnessed in 1921,
thus saving tn them several dollars a
ton-of more interest than questions
of 25 cents or 50 cents
81 reauested that YOU should do
away with disputes on trivial cues
tions and enter upon cooperation with
he.
'T again reneat that should be glad
tn know whether y0Ir association VIII
or will not undertake TO protect, the
consumer by co-operating in the above
lparticulars or what alterations: IN the
above you would consider fair"