New-York tribune., 1922-08-24
House Passes
Harding Fuel
Bill, 2lo-55':; 5;
Measure Sent TO Senate
and Plans Made 10 En-
act Price Control Law
That the President Asks

Fron, Ths Tribuae's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2s.--After re-
fusing by vote Of 1925 to rs to accept
an amendment requiring President
Harding to include representatives Of
coal mine operators and the United
Mine Workers on his commission to
investigate the industry, the House
to-day passed the Winslow bill estab-
fishing such commission by vote
of PIG to 55. Four Republicans voted
against the bill and "a Democrats for
it.
With the measure creating the gov
ernment agency asked by the Presi-
dent to determine the causes of the
recurring coal strikes sent to the Sem
ate for action, the House plans to move
Immediately toward providing the price
control and distribution machinery,
which was the second request for lesis-
lation contained in the Harding mes
sage to Congress.
Although the character of the sec
ond bill was not disclosed, Republican
Leader Mondell said that it would
probably be introduced tomorrow and
passed early next week The tenta-
tive draft is understood to have been
sent from the White House to Chair
man Winslow Of the Interstate and
Foreign Commerce Committee.
Pressure From New York
All the influence and pressure of the
entire New York delegation of forty
three members was brought to-day
upon speeding up the enactment of
price control legislation, following a
Geographic appeal sent to all of them
by Leroy I. Harkness for the New
York State Coal Commissioner.
Calling in q body upon MondeIl, they
We're assured that such measure will
be placed before the House in few
days. It undoubtedly will not contsm-
plate direct buying and selling by the
government, but will give the Interstate
Commerce Commission authority to re-
fuse cars to. operators failing to abide
by the Hoover price agreements.
The Hardness telegram said.
"The New York State Coal Com mis-
sion very earnestly urges upon you the
necessity for prompt action in carrying
out the Presidents recommendations
for governmental agency to control
the distribution and price of coal and
for vesting in that agency all the
power Congress can give it. The sit
uation in New York State this fall and
winter will be very acute at the best.
Nearly five months of anthracite coal
production has already been lost. and
even though all the mines were opened
Tomorrow some time must necessarily
elapse before they can be operated to
full capacity. The greatest difficulty is
being experienced in getting through
shipments out of the very reduced sup
ply of bituminous coal. The Governor
has called the Legislature in special
session for next Monday, and legisla-
ton will undoubtedly be enacted cloth
ing the New York State Fuel Commits
sion with all the powers the state can
give it.
largely be lost unless the Federal gov
ernment on it's part promptly consti-
tutes strong central agency to secure
the coal
Fear for Poor
"The neccssity for the investigation
of the eniss& coal situation, as rec
commended BY the President, is appar-
need for prompt action on his recon-
mendation for a governmental coal
agency unless effective and vigorous
measures are taken to develop to the
utmost the supply and distribution Of
coal, especially anthracite coal. New
York faces coal shortage even worse
than that of the winter of 1917-'18.
New York is absolutely dependent
upon anthracite to keep warm, aside
from the needs of industry. A short
age in anthracite affects every lsDuse-
hold in the cities of the state, and a
serious shortage spells sickness and
intense suffering, especially in the
tenements and poorer districts. The
prospect of winter being SO near and
the state almost denuded of anthra-
cite is alarming in this emergency.
The Coal Commission believes it should
call this matter to the attention of
the New York delegation in Congress
and urge upon it vigorous and united
effort to secure immediate action"
Two amendments were accepted by
the House before it adopted the Wins
low bill. The first of these, offered by
Representative William B. Bankhead
Democrat, of Alabama, reduced the sal
aries of the proposed coal commission
ers from $4,000 year, as provided
originally, to $500.
The other amendment cut the appro-
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