The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-08-18
Control of
Coal Prices
Is Planned
Measures TO Prevent Profiieer.
ing Would BE Left TO
States Under Scheme
Outlined by Hoover.
To Protect Householders
0mahs lee Leased Wire.

Washington. Aug. l7.--Coal prof.
iteering ia the wake OF the strike
which occurred within the states
would be left 10 the control Of state
authorities. according 10 plans OF the
federal government, announced by
Secretary OF Commerce Hoover.
The coal price fixing legislation
which congress will be asked to enact
will extend only 20 fuel moving in
interstate commerce, Mr. Hoover
asserted. The best adyiees OF the
administration, he declared, are that
the federal government might CON
troll the price Of coal delivered TO the
state line. but that the restrictions on
speculation, dealings on matgins and
the operations of wholesalers and re-
tailers must be accomplished by the
states themselves.
Left to Congress.
The devices 10 be adopted 70 FIX
coal prices until production reaches a
poin where control will no longer be
necessary, he stated, would be left
with congress. but with some ma
chine created for federal control, the
way would be made clear for the
states 10 handle their own problem
within their boundaries.
With production resumed in large
proportions in the union fields, Mr.
Hoover declared, il was probable
that the voluntary price agreement
now in effect would be foregone.
There would then be, he said. be-
tween rs and 30 district to hold
IN line that would be practically I'M.
possible in view OF the difficulties
experienced with the small number
OF fields now under fair-price max
imums.
Remarkable Showing.
Nevertheless, Mr.. Hoover asserted,
the iari price agreements. so far have
resulted in q remarkable showing,
as Is per cent OF the coal now NOV
ing was moving at fair price OF from
S2.20 ton to S275 ton at the
mines. The other IS per cent, he
added, was causing the trouble and
charges OF proiiteeri...;, while the
operators sticking to the fair prices
were denying themselves between So
and $40 ton in order to continue
their cooperation with the federal
government during the emergency.
Only temporary legislation would
be needed. he asserted, to control
prices and provide for the require
ments OF the northwest section and
to enable the distribution of an
thracite until production reached a
point where open competition would
care for needs OF the country.
With the resumption OF mining"
Mr.. Hoover said, "the price situation
will be quickly over. While there
will be some control Of distribution
and prices necessarily temporarily,
the matter will quickly adjust itself"
Protect Householders.
II should be possible, he declared,
TO protect the househoders using an
thracite, if mining is resumed at an
early date, by providing for priority
in supplying home consumers of hard
coal ahead OF industries using an
thracite.
ii, as a result OF the Cleveland
agreement, miners in the union fields
go hack to work within the next few
days, Mr.. Hoover stated, there should
be no serious difficulty during the
coming winter, although there might
be some minor inconvenience.
According to Federal Fuel Distrib-
utor Spencer, the country would re-
quire a weekly production OF approxi-
mately 10000 900 tons of coal, about
four-fifths bitumnous and one-fiith
anthracite. to provide for its needs
during the winter and enable some
fuel TO be stocked.