New-York tribune., 1922-09-02
Senators Attack
Bill to Check
Coal Profiteers
Sutherland Leads Fight ON
Cumroins Price Control
Measure When Author
Moves for Consideration
Operators Flood Congress
Reed and Underwood Join
i'm Militant 'H o stility;
Pomerene Is Uncertain

From The Tribune's Washington Buredu
WASHINGTON, Sept. With coal
operators and dealers flooding Congress
with protests against anti-profiteering
legislation, strenuous opposition to the
efforts to enact legislation to prevent
profteering arose in the Senate to-day.
No sooner had Senator Cummins, in
charge of the Administration bill
against profiteering, sought to have
this measure considered, than this an
tagonism became manifest
Senator Sutherland, of West Virginia,
Republican, sought to block considera-
tion until tom orrow. Senator's Under
wood, of Alabama, and Reed, of Missouri,
both assumed an attitude of hostility to
the bill and it became plain that num-
ber of Senators would not willingly see
Legislation enacted which would give
the government any control over coal
prices in the present emergency.
In view Of the fact that the creation
of q coal commission is involved in the
pending settlement of the anthracite
strike, Senator Borah asked that his
coal commission measure be laid aside
temporarily. Senator Cummins then
asked that the bill to check profiteer-
ing be taken up.
Bill Kept In Senate
Senatr Sutherland said there were
no copies of the Winslow bill, which has
just been passed by the House, and
such copies ought to be before the
Senate.
Prior to this, when the Winslow bill,
which is similar in principle to the
Cummins bill, was sent TO the Senate,
Senator Cummins asked that it be not
referred to the Interstate Commerce
Committee but kept in the Senate. Sem
ator Underwood at first objected, but
withdrew his objection
Senator Cummins moved that the
Winslow bill be taken up. Senator
Pomerene sought to bring up the cor
rupt practices bill, but desisted on the
understanding it would be taken up to-
morrow. Senator Watson. of Indiana.
assured him the corrupt practices bill
would be enacted before adjournment.
Senator Cummins said he would seek
TO substitute his profiteering bill for
the Winslow bill if this motion to con-
slider the Winslow bili was passed.
Senator Sutherland finally withdrew OBJ
lection to consideration.
Senator Cummins referred to Che
present tragedy" through which the
nation is passing, and said that his bill
was not directed to the strikers or to
government sequestration of the mines.
He said there was "sharp, severe
shortage in both bituminous and an
thracite COAL" and it was difficult and,
in fact, utterly impossible" to move
the coal to points of demand.
Says Profiteering Is Certain
sThat gives an opportunity" he said,
for charging unfair and unreasonable
prices for coal, and that IS being done
ct the present time. That both oper-
ators and dealers are exacting unfair
and unreasonable prices is an acknowl-
edged fact--not all of them, but some
of them.
"This bill is intended to give the In
terstate Commerce Commission author
ity to prevent the extortion which is
now practiced everywhere. / hope that
IN view Of this emergency, and it is
very great, the Senate viii agree to
proceed to the consideration of this
bill. For every day. that passes the
Undue profits are immense and they can
never be restored
Senator Underwood took the oppor-
tunity TO urge anti-strike legislation.
He said the pending bill would not
remedy the situation, which was
caused by lack of motive power, and
effective legislation should be put
through against strikes.