The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-24
Cummins Bill Designed to Meet
Present Emergency.
Illinois Operators Add $1.25
to Price of Coal.
washington.

Washington, Aug 24.-Esta blish-
ment of a federal fuel distribution
agency to meet the present coal emer-
gency and the extension of broad
powers to the I. c. c. with respect to
Fthestssping of embargoes and priority
fsSnroposed in a bill introduced today
by Senator Cummins. Republican,
Iowa, chairman of the senate inter-
state commerce committee.
The office of federal fuel distributor
would be created by the bill and that
official would be empowered to de-
termine facts relative to fuel prices,
shortages and supplies generally, pro-
duction and marketing methods and
the reasonablenesS of profits taken
within the industry. He would make
reports on his findings to the inter-
state commerce commission which
could act thereon as warranted.
House Passes Bill.
Washington, Aug. 24.-With the
Winslow bill proposing a fact-finding
investigation of the coal industry by a
commission without representation of
operators and miners passed by the
house, Chairman Borah of the senate
labor committee was prepared to call
up today his pending senate bill which
althO differing in some respects from
the house measure also has been ap-
proved in the main by President Hard
ing.
Passage of the WinsIow bill late
yesterday by a vote of 209 to SIS fol-
lowed three separate attempts of Rep
resentative Bland, Republican, Indi-
ana, to amend the measure, to provide
representation on the commission for
miners and operators.
Charges Profiteering.
tBy the Associated Press.I
Lansing. Mich. Aug. 24.-Coal con-
Germs close to the federal administra-
ton are getting theirs and getting it
Tl@%4 g..
ministrator. charges in a statement to-
day following his return from Wash
ingtOn where he endeavOred to obtain
a greater allowance of priority coal
for Michigan. MIR. Potter declared the
public is not in control of the tlistri-
button of coal and that coal is being
daily offered at exorbitant prices. As
setting that coal operators comprise the
advisory board of the federal fuel ad-
ministration, Mr.. Potter said:
When a handful of men may throt-
tie the American public and demand
double a fair price for coal, it is time
this American public was aking some
action to change the personnel or the
activities of the federal government"
A Hike in Illinois.
(By the Associated PressI
Springfield, Ill, Aug. 24-Coal
mine operators in central Illinois to-
day announced they had Increased the
price of coal $1.25 ton. The raise
was tollOWeO Dy a protest from SUD-
district officials of the U. n. w. A,
who termed the increase "legalized
robbery" and declared it called for a
statement from the mine workers.
Miners have returned to work un-
der the same wages and conditions"
Secretary John Watt of the sub-dis-
trict said There has been small loss
to either miners or operators Be-
cause of the great Qantities of coal
stored, and the fact that mines would
have lain idle whether or not there
had been a strike, the operators
can not with good grace lay their in
crease in price to the losses they bear.
1t is just plain profiteering."
Discontinue Priority System.
Washington. Aug. "a. - Improve
ment in coal production will enable
by next Monday of the
specific priority system under which
the federal fuel distribution committee
has been moving coal between desig-
mated places, it was announced today
by Secretary Hoover.