Evening star., 1923-07-21
CONSUMERS IN WAR
ON D. c. COAL PRICES
Louis +. Post Heads League
Formed to Prevent Prof.
iteer Practices.

with a view to securing an I'M
mediate reduction in the price OF
coal" a group of citizens last night
formally organized the Coal Consum-
ers' League, at a meeting in the Of
fees of the American Association of
Engineers, 1917 New York avenue.
Louis F. Post, assistant secretary OF
labor during the Wilson administra-
ton, was elected president.
Mrs. w. E. Chamberlin, president
of the Woman's City Club. was cleo
ted first vice president; w. j. Seelye
of the Rhode Island Avenue Citizens
Association, was elected second vice
president; Mrs. Celia r. Whitaker.
1920 Riggs place northwest, secre-
tary, and Mrs. Emma Wold of the
National Woman's Party, treasurer.
Representatives were present from
the Mid-City Citizens Association.
Park View Citizens Association,
Southwest Citizens Association and the
Brghtwood, Rhode Island Avenue.
Northwest and Columbia Heights citi-
zens' associations. There were also
representatives present from the XII
wants Club, the Cosmopolitan Club, the
Central Labor Union and the Federal
Employees Union. The Federation OF
Citizens Associations had two observ-
ers present, who will report to the fed
Grafton.
The assemblage adopted as the
purpose of the league the following
statement.
Fight ON PrOfiteerfng.
The Coal Consumers League has
decided to adopt as its immediate OBJ
ject every possible means to prevent
profiteering in coal in the District and
to ascertain in what way the existing
machinery for the distribution of coal
can be made more efficient. with a
view to securing an immediate reduc-
tion in the retail price.
THE leagues ultimate purpose is
to compel. If necessary, a complete
reorganization of the wholesale and
retail distribution of coal in the Dis
trict eliminating all forms of waste
in the service, and making impossible
after this reorganization the taxation
of the consumer by profiteering prices
or by prices unduly high because OF
inefficiency in the service for which
they pay"
A resolution adopted during an
executive session requests retail coal
dealers to submit certified itemized
statement of costs, to be drawn UP
along the lines of the cost-reporting &
schedules of the Federal Trade Com
mission, with grades of coal stated
This resolution, following heated
discussion during an open session
had been formally tabled.
Margin on Production.
Mr.. Post, in a brief address in which
he touched upon the increase in the
cost of coal, stated that the Coal Com
mission estimate showed that the pro-
ducing companies received margin
over production costs of So cents ton
in 1913 and S1.07 in the first quarter of
1923-an increase of 900 per cent. Five
producing companies are reported to
have had a surplus of $7.o00.000 in
1t was reduced to 25,000.000 in 1921,
chiefly by distribution in dividends.
1.-The rigid uniformity of retail prices
is quite significant" Mr.. Post contin-
ued.
"It is altogether likely that retailing
is standardized throughout the city by
hfgher-ups. There may be a coal COM
bine in the District which makes COM
which well intentioned retailers are as
much the victims as we impotent con-
Sumers are. On that point, the rigid
uniformity Of retail prices is quite sig
"If this probability Is reasonable.
as it seems to me to be, a movement
among the residents of the District to
subject to local coal MONOPOLY to
a public interest cannot be under
taken too soon nor promoted with too
much vigor. When the prices of
market goods are arbitrarily fixed
by some controlling dictator, when
they pass out of the region of free
composition and into the region of
prof1teering dictation, the business in
which that change occurs ceases to
be business of private concern
merely, 1t becomes a business of
public concern. In those circum-
stances the business is affected with
a public interest and must in all fair
ness be subjected to public authority.
1.-The subject is now before you for
your consideration and action"
The officers will hold an executive
meeting at 1920 Riggs place next
Tuesday evening at s o'clock.