Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-05-19
HIGH PRICES IN :
COAL INDUSTRY
F0RESTALLED BY
NEW AGREEMENT
Operators From Whose
Mines Bulk of a0pen
Shop" Coal Is Coming
Accept HOover'S Plan,
LARGER GATHERING OF
OPERATORS TO RATIFY
Hoover Tells Mine Owners
That Coal Industry VIII
Govern Itself or u. S.
viii Do 1t,
tBy The Associated Press.

Washington, May tS.-Coal oper-
ators from whose mines is coming
the bulk Of non union and open
shop" coal being produced in spite
of the bituminous miners strike.
reached an agreement today with
Secretary Hoover upon an admin
istration plan for preventing prof
iteering and high coal prices dur
ing the period the industry remains
partially tied up.
The scheme, adopted only after
some tense moments in open debate
during which Mr.. Hoover told the
Operators-assemb in response
to President Harding's invitation
that the coal industry would
either govern itself or the govern
ment would govern it," was drawn
up in formal statement by q com
mittee Of the operators present for
reference to Attorney General
Daugherty The committee also
issued q call for another and larger
gathering of operators to ratify the
plan and to bring the COM
Iiilllee VI SdulhillDh lHtO UeiL6-
In brief the plan will re-
quire the creation OF clearing
house committees in each produc-
ing coal district, made up of opera
tors. consumers representatives
and government agent, who will
supervise distribution Of orders for
coal, will see that coal is sold di-
rect to consumers and that prices
are reasonable. A general commit
tee in Washington of the same type
will maintain coordination be-
tween the district committees. Mr.
Hoover assured the meeting. which
was attended by more than fifty
operators, that the plan would be
voluntary and temporary
Secretary Hoover also proposed
that the scale Of prices fixed by
Fuel Administrator Garfield in
i1917 with such adjustment as may
be necessary would serve as the
rough basis for price agreements.
The conference hung momen-
| tarily at this point, but unanimous
agreement was eventually secured
Mr.. Hoover asserted there would
be no difficulty in securing public
opinion for a plan of getting she
public enough coal and cheaper
coal even though it should inyolv@
temporary price restraints
Discussing the conference later.
he warned that it was by no
means certain that such n plan
will succeed" pointing out that the
fifty operators in the agreement,
though controlling very great
proportion of present soft coal pro-
duction, had ito obtain the coop
GRAFTON OF 1,50O other operators.
He declared it was a plan to "see
what we can do by purely vol1n-
tary action. in the absence OF any
legal authority whatsoever. by the
coal mine operators which calls
for self-denial by all of them.'
The chief task, he said. would
be to penetrate the entire body
of 1.50O operators with the plan
agreed upon. In 1920, he added
sin a somewhat similar situation,
nothing had been done until
"prices got from 80 to SIS
ton" while today they we're gen
orally from $2.25 to SO per ton.
with $3.50 being reached in some
districts"
Inc lulbIiudi COilllIltkCGi ill~'NT
ing with the secretary later, drew
up and made public the following
recommendations:
"That general conference or
operators now producing coal
should be called to Washington at
an early date to consider plans for
the better coordination of coal
distribution and the prevention of
profiteering.
"The following plan, or such
amendment to 1t as may be pro-
posed, is to be laid before the con
ferenee:
"1-That representatives of that
conference be appointed, who to-
gether with representatives of the
government departments and the
operators, should be a standing
committee to advise upon these CO.
ordinations of coal distribution be
tween districts.
"2-That each district be asked
to form a. committee that shoull
coordinate distribution and to CO.
operate with the standing commit
tee.
"3-The various committees
would take measures to insure the
direct progress of coal direct TO
the consumer in proportion to his
needs.
"4--The Garfield prices should
be the basis for computing sales
prices with such adjustments a.
are necessary to meet such chang
ed conditions as to costs and other
factors, as will be fair to the pub
| lie and to the operators"