San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-26
Congress May Establish
Commissions With
Greater Power.
SEE CONTROL NEED
Some Sort Of Federal Su-
pervision Of Commodi-
ties Probable. ~
By ROBERT 7. SMALL

Dy IsODlAs1 - S-'A<.~
Copyright, by the San Antonio Light.
Washington, ID. c., Aug. 2S.-A
fight is to be made in the coming
session of Congress for the appoint
ment of q permanent federal coal
commission with powers far greater
and wider than those which were
conferred upon the temporary commis-
sion which has been endeavoring to
deal effectively with the present
thl eatening coal situation IN the
country.
There will also be agitation in the
Congress for a federal oil commission.
Several senators and congressman IL
ready have expressed themselves as
being convinced the recent anthra-.
cite negotiations that some sort OF
federal control must be exercised over
such natural commodities as coal anu
oil which enter SC completely into the
industry of the country and affect SO
deeply the physical comfort and Well
being of the people.
There is a feeling here that for the
general public, which is sure to be
the sufferer in a prolonged strike IN
the anthracite and possibly in the
bituminous fields it is a great pity
that the United States Coal Commits
sion under the craftsmanship OF John
daya Hammond was not given wider
lowers by the Congress which created
Didn't Foresee Crisis.
But evidently Congress did not ex-
Pct another crisis SO soon. Either
Tat or the appointment Of the COM
nission was merely q pc =, ;al sop
y the people who suffered vel aenly
II the eastern and norther es drlcts
LIST winter. 1t has don there eid
w.rk within its limitat tons. ell vines
petition is to 60 further, b IL howty
theAe are STRINGS in politis OF Mrls
lest flat judgment prone e.iance
the Commission might have t ness I'm An
ferrous effect upon vario ~ - ' ~
officelo4s,rs. 'as IN ing!
Ihe coma ;ssion would nhsn
could, for its chairman wotdeeu 6,
first class fighting carbohydrates
treasure is AIKEN from tie iround the
name of John Hays Hammond is
: known. He is known as the man
who commanded the greatest annual
salary ever given a consulting engi-
neer. He is known as the man who
once paid the greatest fine ever as
sessed against an individual. He is
known as one of the ranking biologists
of the world-a fellow of the leading
scientific societies of this country and
of Europe. And withal the most
modest little man that could be met
in o journey of many days. Wrapped
within him are experiences and ad-
ventures that would have made full
lives for half a dozen ventIresome
souls. For some time be- has been en-
deavoring to set these adventures on
paper, not for boast or gain, but for
circulation among the friends who
have demanded that he give them at
least, if not the world at large, the
story of his life.
1t was with the Guggenheims of
Colorado, at the height of their min
ing success that Mr.. Hammond got
the tremendous salary reported to be
100000 a year.
1t was in South Africa that he
paid the record-breakins fine, tidy
little sum, just S125O00. And Mr..
Hammond thought it -reat bargain.
He insists most anyone would think
so, for his first senterce was to be
shot. This rather harsh condemnation
later was committed to fifteen years
imprisonment. Still Mr.. Hammond
thought there was more to be made
Z outside stockade walls thar within,
and when the South African authori-
ties agreed to take $4,000 pounds
sterling and call it quits, Mr.. Ham
mond handed over the cash-and has
been at liberty ever since.
Associated With Diamond King.
1t was in 1893 that Mr.. Hammond
went to South Africa and became con-
! tgilting engineer for Barney Barnato,
the famous diamond kim. whose career
was closed many years late- by leap
from the deck of steamer in mid
ocean. After a brief time with Bar
nato Brothers, Mr.. Hammond Joined
forces with Cecil Rhodes. of whom e
became a strong supporter. He was
also consulting engineer of the Con-
solidated Gold Fields of South Africa.
the British South African Company