Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-08-14
GOVERNMENT MUST
ASSUME CONTROL.
OF NATIONS FUEL
From First PaEe,

Continued From First ragcJ
the tonnage lost during the aye-
month period Of Inactivity.
Even so. winter is only few
months of and 81 lis difncul, to deliv-
er coal In many sections Of the conn
try during the midwln,cr ,.a.o,
rms Is true Of the Northwest and II
~ TO lesser extent true Of S.w
I'm gland rntavorable weather CON
dI,ions. IL is calculated. viii interfere
seriously with oal distribution dur.
ing the monSs OF December. January
ana February. no matter how much
tonnage tho mines might be able to
produce.
tcrtnin to D~ shortage
Tn" situation Is looted upon cveS
NOR" seriously as Il bears upon an
'hracite coal a loss Of nv. months.
production in that fcld cannot h..
overcome. this Cabinet official argues
no matter how f"vcrIshiy the men
and tho operators work after I'M.
strike IL ended. There Is hound t.,
be sh"r'ag" Of this product. as com
pared with other Years
Most Of the anthracite coal is used
by h"us"hoih"rs. II 4. pointed out.
and thousands Of such houscho,derx
nave heating apparatus in which
only hard coal may -. burned II
'h"f" rs shortage. such household
erh. tn" government believes, should
be hrs, taken care Of. VIVA, may be
I"t over could he distributed tn other
consumers
This. in brief, Is the distribution
problem which tho industry Will r,c.
even with an early settlement Of TN.
strike In tn" two coal regions. II
'here Is no early resumption of work
Al the mines. tn" problem Will he
come even more ditRcul, TO handle
Distribution IL not the only matter
OF concern I" the government. 4; is
learned The question OF coal pric.s
during the coming winter Is /, b.
hcait with. a; the present time tn.
government has an agr..men, xI,b
IN" operators In the nonunion hi,u
'ninous fields for tho maintenance. of
maximum prices for ali coal now
""ihE mined This agreement. IL is
stated by Secretary Hoover. Is being
observed hy a, least 40 per cent o..
the operations. There has been ,rou.
bio recently only with certain Of III.
Pennsylvania producers
There IS very little control. even
voluntary. however. over IN. pres.n,
supply Of coal after Il leave, m.
mines. The system Of priorities gives
the government chance TO punish
some OF the profitccrs, but not ali or
them. IL ~ stated.
Prices VIII Begin 10 Rise
once mining generally tx resumed
and all classes Of Consumers enter
the market once more. 1, is appre
hendsd In Washington that pric.s
viii begin 10 rise almost immcdiatel,-
and Will continue 10 rise url.xs SON.
power Is given some agency 10 r.pu.
ia't them. This Is no less true OF
anthracite than OF bituminous IL is
explained
~ Is known that high government
officials are not satisfied with the
suggestion that the voluntary prica
contro! system now in enec, be ex-
tended 70 the whola Industry. Al,
least one element IN the Preside IS
cabinet is strongly in favor o, action
oy Congress which Will give the fuel
administration the power to Ak and
70 enforce fair prices through the
whole OF mex, winter.
II the President follows the advice
OF these members OF his official fam
lily. he Will ask Congress NOT only
FOR authority TO establish the fueI
administration upon semi-perma.
heh' oasis but Will ask that the ad :
mlniStration be empowered to resu-
late both distribution and prices at
the mines and at the market.