The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-07-25
Coal Men
Agree to
Curb Prices
Operators From Producing
Districts of Six States Ac.
cept U. S. Plan to Dis.
tribute Fuel.
I Question Legal Phases

Washington, July 2+.-Operator,
from the producing districts OF 81,
states in conference today with Sec
re,ary Hoover agreed in prineipl,
with the administrations plan fol
maintaining prices and insuring fue
distribution during the sttike emer'
gency.
The operators, il was stated, afte,
the conference this morning hat
agreed 10 the general proposals a:
outlined by Secretary Hoover. sub,
ject to the approval OF their respec.
tive districts, but had raised some
objections 10 the legal features oi
the scheme. The legal phases wer.
given the approval OF the Depart.
r,ent OF Justice in an opinion sen,
to Secretary Hoover by Attorney
General Daugher,y while the confer.
ence was IN session.
Immediately upon adjournment ol
the first meeting the chairmen of the
committees OF operators representing
the various districts went into ses-
sion with Mr.. Hoover to draft the
details of the coal control plan which
is TO be submitted to the full confer
cnce.
For Emergency Control.
Efforts of the drafting committee.
it was learned. were to be aimed at
framing scheme for emergency coal
control which would not run counter
to the law relating to monopolics and
conspiracies in restraint OF trade.
Nonunion operators attending the
conference were inclined to attach
only one condition to their agree
mcnt to maintain tie fair prices
previously y fixed and that was re-
quirement that the government use
every effort to get them railroad serv-
ice. 1t is conceded that price scales
set offer reasonable profit to all of the
producers in the nonunion districts
even though some buyers under the
pressure OF imminent shortage have
been bidding up the market levels
and urging upon the producers cash
offers far above the Hoover seales.
Aimed at Production.
The producers asserted that if their
mines could not be kept in operation,
however, because of the railroads in
the nonunion district where the rail-
road strike has been aimed at coal
production, were unable to keep trains
moving. alternating shutdowns and
assumptions, will increase the costs
of their operation. destroy the morale
OF their mining forces and make it
necessary for them to sell their coal
at higher figure than the levels now
voluntarily fixed. Much OF the West
Virginia production has been held
strictly within the fair price limits,
but a general breaking away from
these levels have been reported to
officials in the western Kentucky
areas supplying the midwestern mar
ket.
Penn. Mayors Meet.
Scranton, Pa, July 24.-Five
cities in the anthracite regions and
District Presidents William Brennan,
Thomas Kennedy and {. J. Golden
of the miners union will confer here
this afternoon on a proposed plan
f1r bringing about a settlement OF
the anthracite wage controversy. The
meeting was called by Mayor John
Durkan of Scranton, who returned
last night from Washington where
l.c had conferred with President
Harding.
Mayor Durkan said that the out
look for a quick adjustment of the
troubles of the operators and miners
il the anthracite regions is in sight.
lie would no, reveal what plan he
had in mind for ending the suspen-
son. 1t is understood, however,
that he. has proposal for the ap-
pointment of an arbitration commits
sion of fve members. none of whom
would be affiliated with the miners
or operators, to make thorough
survey of the hard coal industry and
FIX wage rate
To Buy Coal in Scotland.
London, July 24.--(By A. P)--
Important contracts have been placed
in Scotland for immediate shipments
of coal to the United States and ad
Gitonal orders are under negotia-
ton. it was learned today.
This is the first occasion since the
outbreak of the European war on
which Scotch coal has been bought
for shipment to Americs.
Pump Men Quit Mines.
Bellaire, O., July 24-Pump men
and fan men on duty in idle coal
mines in this vicinity were reported
leaving their posts today as protest
against the bringing of state troops
into the district.
At the beginning of the coal strike
one pump man and one fan man were
kept on duty at each mine to guard
the mine against fire and food.