New-York tribune., 1922-08-29
Harding Sees
Hope OF Hard
Coal Peace


Minis bill against pTofiteering in coal
and authorized Senator Cummins, as
chairman Of the committee. 10 report
IL, However, Democratic senator's res
served the right to take such action as
they saw fl. on the floor Of the Senate.
Senators Underwood. Myers and Pomc-
rene, Democrats, are unfavorable 30
the measure, aud are expected to assail
it in the senate on the ground shat IL
would be of no service TO the public at
this time.
Senator Cpmmins said he would re-
port the bill as soon as practicable to
the Senate. IL cannot be taken up until
the bonus bill is disposed OF Senator
Cummns said 10 might be taken UP
nheed Of the .Borah bill and he be.
lieyed 1t would be passed. Others were
less sanguine and predicted that in any
event II would meet much discussion
and debate.
Senator Cummins did not offer his
bill to authorize the President 70 taie
over the mires to-day. He said whether
he presented this would depend on the
developments in the hard coal sltua.
zion. If the anthracite dispute is soon
settled he will not effcr il, but il il Is
u
Fight Shifted to Floor
The Cummins anti-profteering bill
was modified in committee to-day so as
to limit it to one year and contine its
application strictly to Interstate ship
ments of coal The effect Of the COM
mittee's action In authorizing Senator
Cun,mins to report 1t, but with some
of the members of the committee re-.
serving the right to oppose it or seek
to amend It, virtually means that the
controversy over it is to be transferred
from the committee TO the Senate.
Tho committee has not taken mp the
question of government seizure and
operation of the mines. Ii Is expected
this again will be freely discussed
whenever the Cummins anti-profteer-
ing bill or the Borah coal investigation
committee comes up for consideration.
tion.
The course OF action on the coal
question in the Senate. IL became clear
to-day, largely depends on the develop
ments respecting the hard coal strike,
II this should be settled many Sen
ators will attempt TO block all legis-
lation If it is not settled, then the
the public feeling over lack of coal
will be such that there will be less
open display OF opposition to the
Borah bill and the Cumnsins anti
profiteering bill Whether the move
ment for the taking over of the mines
by the government becomes serious in
the Senate also depends on whether
the strike is soon brought TO con-
clusion.
The star witness of the day before
the House Interstate and Foreign Com
mercc Committee was Secretary of
Commerce Hoover, who urged the
speediest action possible in providing
for the proposed Federal Fuel Distrib
utor, declaring that the present coal
emergency may last from sixty days
TO six months. Although there is no
prospect Of serious shutdown of in
dustry, he said, the government may be
forced to establish "coal zones" for
governing distribution.
Transport Service Inadequate
Declaring that 25.ooo,oo to 30,0oo,-1
900 tons are needed "in transit"
whereas only 100000 tons are now
In transit, he continued:
with the very much deteriorated
motive power on railroads, we can
never come anywhere near moving suf-
ficient coal to meet all needs. Because
of this shortags there is an urgent
need of careful distribution.
"A month ago when the situation be-
came acute, speculation spread among
operators. AT that time 80 per cent
OF them were obviously profteering."
Production OF 100000 tons a week
in bituminous, he said, would give the
government from 100000 to 100000
tons weekly for general distribution,
including households, and would pre-
vent suffering this winter.
Vigorous opposition to the bill was
voiced by j. d. A. Morrow, vice -presi-
dent Of the National Coal Association.
who insisted that it would duplicate
the car priority powers already in the
hands OF the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. Under examination
by committee members he said that the
bituninous operators whom he repre-
sented had virtually no objection to
any section Of the bill, except the price
control feature.
;ona,. AiN,b;ooa Af ~, T.,