Evening star., 1923-06-26
Will Not Recommend to Con-
gress That Legal Weight
Be Reduced.
BELIEVE THAT CHANGE
WOULD BRING CONFUSION
Accept Report of Weights and
Measures Head That No Ben
eft Would Result.

The Commissioners today voted not
to recommend to Congress that the
legal ton of coal in the District be
reduced from 2,24O to 1000 pounds.
They took this position in approx
ing report from George NJ Roberts,
superintendent of weights and meas
ures, in which that official expressed
his opposition to the change.
In laying the proposal before Com
missioner Oyster several weeks ago,
the local coal dealers stated that they
would reduce the price of a ton Of pal
proportionately if the weight of the
ton were brought down to 1000
pounds.
Standardization Sought.
They gave as the principal reason
for seeking the change that most Of
the states have a 1000 pound ton, and'
that to make the change here would
be in line with Standardization. They
further pointed out that because other
large cities have the short ton their
price is lower. and that many persons.
unfamiliar with the fact that Wash
ington uses the long ton. get the i'm
preston that dealers here charge
more for coal.
Supt. Roberts took the stand. how
ever. that with 2.000-pound rule
Washington householders would have
to buy one or two tons more a year
tnan they now burn, with corre-
spending increase in the cost of stor-
ing the coal in the cellar.
Confusion Seen.
After careful consideration" said
Supt. Roberts. Il have reached the
conclusion that a reduction in the
weight of the ton would be of no ben
eft TO the public. but that, on the
other hand, 1t would cause confusion,
dissatisfaction. misunderstanding and
be contrary to the public interest and
probably in some respects contrary
TO the interest of coal merchants as
well. Having reached that conclu-
sion, 1T seems proper for me to state
the basis thereof.
If such reduction in weight were
made the average householder would
find it necessary to purchase one or
more additional tons of coal per year.
In delivering to consumers coal
sold at retail in the District the usual
custom is for dealers to deliver same
at the curb. The storage cost, usu-
ally about rs cents per ton, must be
borne by the consumer in addition to
the purchase price of the coal. This
opinion, unquestionably remain the
same regardless Of the reduction in
weight advocated by the dealers.
$37,aDO LOSS Estimated.
Assuming that there are in the Dis
trict 50,0 600 families occupying resi-
dences, the additional tax upon the peo-
pie for the storage alone, with no COM
pensatory benefits whatsoever. would
be in the neighborhood of S37, year
1.-THE custom of selling coal by the
long ton has prevailed in the District
for more than hundred years. 1t was
established in the beginning and has
never, until recently, so far as | have
been able to ascertain, been the basis
of complaint by dealers.
'It is fixed custom among house
holders in the District to order coal by
the ton and to negotiate with dealers
regarding the price by the ton and not
otherwise; and the definition of a ton Of
coal as weighing 2,240 pounds is as
firmly fixed in the public mind as Is the
weight of a pound at 16 ounces or the
value of a dollar at 100 cents. This is
a matter of common knowledge.
Congress has the power to reduce
the weight of a pound of every commod-
ity in the District of Columbia to IL
ounces or Of yard to 80 inches. but If
either or both were done, it would re-
quire long time for the people to be-
come accustomed to the change, and in
the meantime Tie Qe-
ception by merchants would be great.
misunderstanding Likely.
while, of course, 1 do not assume
that deception would be practiced bs'
coal merchants If the weight of the
ton were reduced, opportunity for de-
ception and misunderstanding would,
in my opinion, be afforded until all
the people of the District became
accustomed to the change, and among
the poor and ignorant-those least
able to bear any additional burden
the opportunity would be great. /
do not believe that any such oppor-
tunity for deception or misunder-
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