Evening star., 1923-07-09

more efficiently and economically on
the principle of individual RESPONSE
bility. But, like railroads, they are
required to report to public au-
thority and they are subject to such
regulation In the public interest as
experience may show to be necessary
and public opinion may from time to
time approve. The guiding principle
in such enterprises Is no longer maxi
mum profit but maximum service to
the public.
1.-The time certainly has come to
establish the same controlling idea
in the anthracite coal industry. There
is not yet a sufficient basis in know
ledge or experience to determine
, will ultimately be most advantageous.
What is clear is that In the opera
tion of coal mines, as in the opera
tion of railroads. telephones, water
companies, or banks, the public in
terest must be respected and served,
and that this requirement places
limitations on the rights of owners
of coal lands, operators, mine work
ers. carriers and dealers.
THE commission believes that the
principle of individual and corporate
responsibility should be maintained as
most likely to insure economical and
! efficient management of the industry.
and that the public interest may be
adequately safeguarded by the creation
of a governmental authority with pow
er to require financial and operating
reports, TO prescribe UNIFORM HlclHOuS
of cost accounting, and to determine
the conditions on which coal may be
shipped in interestae commerce.
Would Empower President.
"The President of the United States
! should be authorized by act of Con-
gress to declare that a national emer-
gency exists whenever, through failure
of operators and miners in the anthra-
cite industry to agree upon the terms
OF employment or for any other reason
there is a suspension of mining opera
tions, seriously interrupting the nor
NAL supply of anthracite fuel in inter
state commerce, and to take over the
operation of the mines and the trans
portation and distribution and market
ing of the product, with full power to
determine the wages to be paid to mine
workers, the prices at which the coal
shall be sold. and. subject to court re-
view, the compensation to be paid to
land and mine owners.
Coal prices in the District of Co
lumbia are referred to in that section
of the commissions report having to
do with prices. The report declares:
, The well known increase In an
thracite prices in the last ten years
or so Is frequently attributed to
profiteering and frequently to in
creases in wages, but there have been
insufficient facts available with which
to measure the justice of either ac-
cusation. How great has been the
actual rise in prices. how this rise
is related to the general price move
ment, what items are included in the
price the consumer pays for his coal,
and especially what profits come out
of that price. are questions properly
asked OF this commission.
ID. &. Prices Cited.
..rr-l
anthracite in 1913 in Boston and
! Washington was 1926 and $3.50, re-
! spectively, the former, however, be-
| ing the price of a short or net ton,
the latter that of long or gross ton.
In 1923 the corresponding retail
for Washington. Since 1913 the
| freight rates from the anthracite
mines to these two cities have in
| creased $1.25 and $1.14. Eight Of the
| still closely affiliated with the rail-
roads. are grouped together in price
/ quotations, and their product is
known as company coal. in contrast
with the independent coal produced
by 100 or more smaller 'individuar
companies. In 1913 the average mine
price of stove anthracite was $3.50 a
gross ton; today the quotations are
$8 to 1886 a gross ton for company
! and $3.50 to $11.50 for independent
coal.
Thus, in ten years both the retail
and the wholesale prices of stove
coal have practically doubled. This
Is in line with the general advance
in commodity prices, except that
while the wholesale price of metals,
for instance. reached its peak in 1917.
of chemicals in 1918, Of farm products
In 1919 and of other commodities in
1920-all with subsequent declines,
: usually large-the price of anthracite
has continued steadily upward.
Dollar AnalyEed.
"An analysis of the consumers
dollar, based on an examination of
the books of retail dealers in several
! of the larger cities, may serve to
show the component parts of the
price he paid. For example. in
November, 1922. in Boston, the aver
age retail price of stove coal at the
/ customers curb was $15.6S net
ton. At this rate a dollar paid for
12S pounds of coal OF this dollar,
45 cents represented the sales price
at the mine, % cents the charge for
freight, and 80 cents the share of
the dealer. In New York the average
price was s13.77. Here the dollar
| paid for 145 pounds of coal, and Sc
cents. Is cents. and 26 cents repre-
sented the division between mine,
| railroads, and dealers. In Philadel-