The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-15

Operators and Retailers Are
Accused by Federal
Commission.
=, Internatlonal Sow ssrvlce.

The United States Coal Conn
mission declared today in its first
report to Congress that profit
eering" by both operators and
retailers is responsible for present
high prices Of bituminops and
anthracite coal.
"There has been profiteerin
the commission said, Gin the sense
that grossly exorbitant profits
have been taken at times BY many
operators, brokers and retailers;
profits that have been dispropcr-
tionate to the cost Of the coal or
The SERVES rendered or the risk
incurred
PrOhe II Under WI ~ 4,
i me cobtaIssion niadee
with view to stopping
the anwarranted profit-taking ~,
which it referred. but annOunsek
that d .tliprough examination oE
the profits 81 production and distri-
button, including the revenue de-
rived from associated enterprises,
is already under way"
A satisfactory solution of the
problem of transportation, the com.
mission declared, would be neces-
sary before there can be mutual
~ acceptable wage agreement and
a lasting peace between the coal
operators and miners. The subjec.
ton Of the railroads to sudden peak
loads Of coal traffic at the season
when the demands Of agriculture
and industry are at their height
was held by the commission to be
in arranging for adequate trans
portation.
Strikes Bring Crises.
The commission pointed out that
the three periods OF high coal prices
since 1916 had resulted from labor
troubles. ~
Whatever the cause of the
merits of The labor controversy" it
was stated, cit is clear that an i'm
mediate repetition of these crises in
the production and distribution of
coal v"rld be intolerable. Indus
try and home alike must be freed
from the menace of constant in
terruptions of their coal supply. -
The commission said it had reasons
to believe that an agreement would
be reached to prevent another ma.
.iOn-wide coal strike in April of
this year.
acknowledgement of mines and
surplus numbers of miners was
held by the commission to be the
underlying cause" Of instability in
the coal industry.
More Facts Needed.
In this regard, the report said:
The way to reduce the over.
development of the coal industry
Is fraught with so many complica-
tons that the commission has not
yet had time to ascertain sufficient
facts on which to base any recon.
mendations to be made to Congress.
"The inquiry involves the whole
question as to what is best for the
| oeople-free competition, Govern
ment or private ownership. regula.
| lion or control in the coal industry.
| Should the operators in given areas
be permitted to combine so that the
| low-cost mines would furnish the
| product to the people and the high.
| cost mines kept in allowance to
meet an emergency, properly regu.
lated as to price and profit by some
Governmental agency, or should
this prime necessity of life and
business be left wholly to open com.
| petition in the market? This prob
lem is of SO great moment, with
| reference not only to theories OF
government, but also to the eco
nomic life Of the republic, that the
view Of the commission must be
left to it's final report.
Public Interest Paramount.
| 1.-The commission believes the
| public interest in coal raises funda
| mental questions Of the relation OF
| this industry to the nation and Of
the degree to which private right
must yield to public welfare. L
may be that both private property
In an exhaustible resource and la
Dor in public service industr,
must submit to certain modifica
tons of their private rights, re
ceiving in return certain guaranteed
and privileges not accorded to pure
lily private business or persons il
private employ"
4,---s ~ ~ -sas~aHest.