New-York tribune., 1922-09-02
Governor Hints
L llel Head Has
Been Selected
Miller Expects TO Announce
Administrator Early Next
Week; Confers With w.
Ill. Woodin and Stettinius
To Fight Price Gouging
State Commission Cancels
Coal Orders When Deal
ers Raise Agreed Prices

Governor Miller's two-day stay in
New York has not been without result.
lie intimated last night that he had
virtually decided on the mans size
man. for the position Of Fuel Admin
trator under the emergency fuel law
passed at last weeks special session
OF the Legislature, and expects to an
nounce the appointment OF. Monday or
Tuesday,
The name of William H. Woodin.
head Of the American Car and Foundry
Company and director. in several big
corporations, was added yesterday to
the list Of possibilities for the post.
Mr.. Woodin and Edward r. Stettinius,
member of ]. P. Morgan g. CO., were
among those who conferred with the
Governor in the course of the day.
1t will take day or two for the man
Governor Miller has in mind to arrange
his business matters so that he can
some measure, is responsible for the
delay until early next week in an
nouncing the appointment, the Gov
ernor indicated
One of the first problems with which
the Fuel Administrator will have to
contend will be the difficulty Of fixing
and maintaining fair retail prices for
coal in the absence of any regulatory
power over the prices at the mine.
Transit Commissioner Leroy 7. Hark-
ness, acting chairman Of the State Fuel
Commission, already has been forced to
cancel 3,100 tons of the 100, ,000-ton
emergency soft coal order given by the
state because the mine owners insisted
on price 81 ton higher than the
Hoover fair price agreed upon when the
order was given on August 16. Thomas
w. Russell, State Fuel Administrator
of Connecticut, in telegram to Secre-
tary Hoover urged this as a reason for
Federal price control.
1t seems likely that there will be
some sort of concerted action by the
various state fuel officials to with
stand similar attempts at price boost
ing during the coal emergency. Mr.
Hardness said that while there had
been no discussion among the fuel
officials it was likely that they would
join in whatever action is taken to
protect the states against gouging by
the coal operators.
A telegram was sent by Mr.. Hark-
ness yesterday to H. B. Spencer, Federal
Fuel Distributor, asking that the Goa
companies among whom the New York
State order for 100000 tons had beer
distributed be notified that no .caal
will be accepted at prices other than
those agreed upon. The Fuel Com.
mission is prepared to cancel the en-
tire order, Mr.. darkness said, anc
feels confident that it can get sufficient
soft coal for all requirements in the
open market.
With the soft coal situation Nns
longer cause for concern attention
was centered on the progress of tht
negotiations between the anthracite
operators and miners, and the apSaa
Of S. D. Warriner, head of the operat
ors, for an expression of public opin
ion on whether the demands Of ths
union should be granted.
1t was generally agreed that the ap
peal of the operators for "a mandate
from the people for the continuance
Of war wages until April, 1924, ane
continuing present coal prices" was al
attempt to pass the buck'
Must Settle Strike at Once
The consensus was that the strike
should be settled at once, irrespective
OF what 1924 prices Of hard coal nigh
be, although Governor Miller though,
that under no circumstances should il
be made possible to pass the cost Of
the strike along to the consumers.
The vital question is to have the
mining of hard COAL on which depends
not alone the comfort but the health
and In some cases, the lives of many
people, begin at once" Governor Miller
said.
Acting Mayor Murray Hubert said
THE way to meet an emergency is
with an emergency. The problem is tc
get coal. Why worry about the price
of coal in 1924? If we don't get coal
now there may be great many who
will have no interest in 1924 cos
prices"
Operators and miners were botf
criticized by William Fellowes Morgan
head Of the Merchants Association.
"The present emergency" he said
sis the problem that ought to be solved
Personally have little faith in either
side. think they have both beer
gouging the public. But this is ar
emergency and it should be solved il
it can be done without the sacrifice O.
principle"
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