Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-29
COAL OPERATORS
PROPOSE TO FIGHT.
ALL PRICE CURB|NG
To Seek Injunction Against
Antiprofiteering Fea-
tllrc Of Law.
CUMN1INS- -WINSLOW
ACT TO BE ATTACKED
Bituminous Mining Interests
View Price Provision
as Invalid.
COAL HECOMING PLENTIFUL.
omcinls Assert Speeding Up at Pro-
duction and transportation
ReInedyinE situation.
CUMN1INS-W S-WINSLOW
ACT TO BE ATTACKED
coal BECOMING PLENTIFUL
omcinls Assert Speeding Up az Pro-
ductinn and transportation
ReInedyinE situation.
By Clayton v.hitrhtlI.
United News s,an Correspondent

Hltcd News stan Correspondent
WASHINGTON. Sept. 2s.-A group
Of leading bi;um!nous coal operator.
- expected To. apply soon for All u
Junction against tn. Federal fuel
distribution agency set up by TIT.
cuminins- Winslpw law
The main contention or these opcr-
at"rs is said To bc that the anti
pr"htccrinX section OF the law is un .
constitutional This group OF oper-
ators. numbering twelve or fifteen.
order from Federal Judge Anderson.
at indianapolis.
Fight validity OF Inv.
While these operators arc mem
hers OF the National Coal Associa
tion. the proceedings. II was learned
today. will not originate with the
association. but with individuals.
With transportation Of coal increas-
according 10 word reaching high
government ohicials-that the clause
Of the fuel distributing Law. which
authorizes til. Interstate Commerce
Commission through the Federal
fuel distributor 10 deny ,ransporta-
tion TO any coal which has been con-
tractcd for in excess OF = fair price
agreement. should not only b. in
operative. but stricken from the law
AS unconstitutional.
Should the plea OF these operators
be granted. il would result in soar
ing coal prices.
Unwilling for Price CurbInE.
Although the law Is only emectiv.
for one year. after which time the
| emergency is expected TO have
passed. nevertheless these operators
are represented as being unwilling
TO submit 10 any pr!ce-curblng leg
Station. which. they insist. is in re-
| ttraint OF trade. {.
To countcract any Injunction tina.
might he granted on this plea. ofi :
Ciais here believe the Extremely en-
couraging' pick in coal transpor-
iation and the equally high average
Of biturninous coal production should
warn the public that prices higher
than those set forth az fair and rea-
sonable arc .neXcusable.
Latest reports to Secretary Hoover
indicate that production of coal at
present IS but 10 per cent lowe.
than tho same period in 1920, re-
gn-ded as a banner year. And trans
inately per cent less than in 1920.
iFpptF w TtttS on Oat.
Senator George Wharton Pepper.
o! Pennsylvania. writing In the cur
rent number Of the Nations Bust
ness. the official publication of the
United states Chamber OF Commerce
points out thai the attitude of the
public toward coal varies from iu-
tense interest in time OF strike To
calm Indifference IN time OF peace
"a threatened famine" he says
leads TO the discovery that tho coal
business is the business of the peo-
pie. Instantly there is talk OF gov
crnmcnt seizure, OF compulsory ar
hitrati0n, Of naturalization of mines
and such like. AS soon. however, as
plenty replaces famine, the citizen
again buys his customary supply.
curses at the price and proceeds 10
dismiss the entire subject from his
mind.
Public Must Take Int-rest.
''If the coal business is In any
sense whatever the peoples busi- J.
ness. il ought not to require five
months OF strike and the imminence
Of frightful suffering to arouse them
10 lanEuid interest In II. Now that
settlement of the coal strike has
tecn effected. we breathe sigh of
relief. But We shall have the same
thing over again in both the bitumi-
nous and anthracite fields unless
there is nm Intelligent and sustained
public opinion respecting the tre-
mondous Industrial problems that
arc involved