Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-05-31
HOOVER ASKS COAL
OPERATORS TO SET
FAIR RATE FOR FUEL
Continued from page 1


Tho commerce secretary suggested
the immediate appointment OF COM
mittees representing each producing
district to advise with him Upon fair
price II 1ther RESPECTIVE districts. He
also asked that these committees
should continue in existence and re-
port cnses Of unfair prices In their
districts to him and to act an might be
necessary to meet such cases
Mr.. Hoover told the several hundred
operations assembled that tho confer
enco had been called by him at the
request Of President Harding 10 con-
suit as to what means might properly
be taken to restrain runaway coal
prices due 10 tho strike. He explain
cd that the conference was not con-
cerned with wages or other questions.
but solely to that Of price and dis
tribntion OF coal now being produced.
Speaking OF present conditions
throughout the country he said that
production was now about 5000, 900
tons week and consumption between
100000 and s.5oo,000, thus necessi-
tating Withdrawals from stock
amounting to between 100000 and
100000 tons n week. Production will
Increase slightly ns time goes on.
he added.
The time has arrived" Mr.. Hoover
did not heed my recommendations for
stocking up with coal must go into
the market for H."
Mr.. Hoover recalled that the las,
time there was a coal strike coal rose
as high Mt si2 TO SIS a ton at the mine
which he declared. represented mil
| lions Of dollars n week lors 10 the
public while AT the same time lending
a color of prof1teering 60 the opera
tor.
This color, he asserted. was against
the will and wish of the operator,
who considered Il the most disastrou,
thing that could happen TO them
Coal prices throughout the country
today, Mr.. Hoover continued. rang,
from about s2.2b 10 s350s, ton AZ tn
lmine. but what the public Is inter,
ested In Ia dollars and cents although
t1e margin of from Is TO 90 cents n tor
on coal may be the margin between
lproft and loss for the operators The
public. Mr.. Hoover continued, should
understand that tho problem at hant
is one of almost stupendous difficulty
"It is easy" he said, ito denounc,
proflteering. With some it is fav
orite sport, hut the vast majority o
Operators do not wish to tolerat,
profiNoring in coal"
What fair price for coal is de
pends upon conditions in each dis
trict, and where profiteering begin
and ends Is question OF definit
fair price determined upon facts an
not upon theories. the secretary toll
the operators. There Ia not, MI
Hoover explained. a single shred o
law to enforce n fair price or preveu
proflteerlns and the law prohibit
operators agreeing ss TO what fsi
price may he. Combinations in th
public interest. he stated. are juet a
Illegal as combinations against tn
public interests.
In times Of emergency NJ
. Hoover said, some one n1unt take th
Hoover said. some one muet take tn
and say what is fair. do not believ
| a man is worthy to hold public ofric
who will not assume responsibility 4
times of emergency, and / will not as
any agreement or combination 10 re
!, strain trade or prices wrong in Law
!. ! propose TO inquire through you a
TO the situation in various district
! and ! will take the responsibility q
, my own hack and will ask over
operator to accept this basis in hi
- own district"
D The agreement, he continued, woul
: be between the operator and the sec
\ retsry Of commerce. and II the operate
e failed TO live UP 10 it. IL would /
7 upon his conscience.
q Mr., Hoover stated that he wishe
Il brought emphstically before the pub
lie that the administration was seekir
the cooperation OF the coal operator
. and that If the plan failed, Il was n,
failure Of the operators but fai
o ure in law and Of administration o.
flCials.