New-York tribune., 1922-06-08
Move for Coal
Peace Failure,
Hoover Asserts
Repeated Suggestions to
Operators and Miners by
Davis and Himself Get No
Results, Senate Is Told
Without Legal Authority
Says, However, Attempts
TO Halt Price Increases
Have Met With Success

wAsHINGTCN. June Efforts OF
the government 20 bring operators and
miners together with , view to settling
the coal strike now in progress were
disclosed for the first time to-day By
Secretary Hoover in statement sent
tc the senate, IN compliance with a res
olution Of inquiry introduced recently
by Senator Wa.rh. Democrat. Matsa-
chusettt. -.
"Cuite Informally and repeatedly
Mr.. HoOvcr's stat fment said. "7ugges-
sions as 20 ropOaitions on which the
disputants might we'll confer and hope
for settlement have been made
through the Department Of Labor and
this department. or both. but thus far
these iuggostions have been without
result"
TIE Secretary prefaced his state
ment with the declaration that the ef-
forts had been made despite his be-
lief that governmental agencies have
no legal authority 70 terminate or in
tervcne in the strike
Sees Success in Hating Raise
Measurable success has been OBJ
tanned. however. Mr.. Hoover added, in
the governments effort 20 prevent
large price increases resulting from
the indastry's tie-up through informal
conferences with the operators. lie
made the same point clear IN q tele-
gram sent from Youngstown, ONO, TO-
day TO the coal section OF the COM
merce Department, in connection with
press reports that Senators Borah' ne
publican, Idaho. and Walsh, Demo-
he Lr1d
ences with d delegation OF retail coal
dealers with a view 10 restraining
coal prices.
al am delighted to learn" the tele;,
gram said, that Senators Borah ana
Walsh have taken on the JOB OF re-
straining coal prices with the retailers
or other parts Of the coal trade Inc
field Is clear for any action they may
desire 20 take, as no action mas oeen
taken beyond the responsibility ] as
suned in public interests Of asking
each individual operator that he should
In the future not exceed the last Gar
Geld war scales with changes up and
down as the altered conditions would
warrant. and | have made the state
ment that such changes would not eS-
coed a maximum price in the average
OF 20 cents UflNW NHf 0HAf ftNtN
some districts, or about 90 cents above
in others.
Cut 50 a Ton, He Asserts
THE result mas been TO reduce the
strike prices as much as 81 in certain
districts, and should save the public
from a further ascent to $40 or Sl2 IN
mine prices as in 1920"
Mr.. Hoover upon his return here to-
morrow is 70 meet with operators from
Fayette County, Pa. 70 discuss maxi
mum fair price for coal at the mines in
that district.
The report sent by Mr.. Hoover 70 the
Senate answering the question as 70
the departments information on the
present supply OF mined bituminous
coal" said:
"The latest information we have Is
canvass of the situation at the opening
of the strike on April by the Depart.
ment OF Commerce and the Geological
Survey. partly depending upon various
trade associations. No funds have been
available for the repetition Of this in
quiry. ,
at April the stocks OF mined
bituminous coal in the hands OF con-
sumers were estimated at 63,000,000
tons. In addition thereto, there was
estimated 10 be 4,oO0.000 tons on the
Lake Superior and Michigan docks and