Evening star., 1923-11-15
OPERATORS RESENT
P|NCHOT CHARGES
Never Refused to "CIeon
House," Warriner Says, in
Reply to Governor.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, November IS
Samuel D. Warmer. president of the
Lehigh Coal and Navigation Com
pany. chief spokesman for the an
fhracite coal operators policies COM
mittee, last night sent a letter 10
Gov. Pinchot. in which he stated that
he viewed with indignation the
governors statement OF November Q
to the effect that the operators had
refused to recommend to the industry
that it should clean it's own house Of
abuses known to exist
The letter said the governor sug-
gested the operators agree not to sell
coal to retailers who charged higher
prices than last year, but that the op-
orators feared such plan would be Il
violation of the criminal laws of the
United States, as IT would mean an
attempt on the part of the producers
to fix retail prices in more than 25.-
900 communities. The letter also
pointed out that the governor had
been assuring the operators for four
weeks that he would endeaVor to OBJ
tain the opinion Of the state attorney
general on the point and that the
opinion had not yet been received.
The letter follows:
You will pardon me if view with
indignation the public statement is
sued by you following our confer
statement you say: The committee
of anthracite operators, consisting OF
Messrs. Warriner. Richards. Conneli
and Jessup. held final conference
with me this afternoon to decide
whether or not they would recon-
it should clean its own house of the
abuses which are known to exist.
They have refused
Facts Held Different.
1.-THE impression created by this
statement and by your call for the
governors conference on November
20 is that of stubborn resistance to
reasonable and definite reforms put
forward in the public interest. The
facts are otherwise.
My letter of November 8 stated:
We desire to continue the co-opera-
tion with you which we have shown
by acceding to your views in the
wage negotiations. although the
terms of settlement imposed onerous
conditions on the industry. You will,
however, / am sure. fully recognize
that with the industry under constant
scrutiny and attack we must, regard
less of our desire or motive. satisfy
ourselves that what you ask US to
do is economically practicable and
legally sound. We cannot assume n
responsibility when the laws deny us
the right to do so.'
Conditions Too Varied.
The only suggestion mase by you
was that we should agree among our
selves, and with you, not to sell to
retailers who charged higher prices
than last, year, regardless OF the
fact that by the settlement with the
mine workers. brought about through
your iL-ervention, prices to retail
dealers have increased. This would
mean an attempt on our part to Ak
retail prices in over $4,000 communi-
ties by an inflexible rule without con-
sideration Of varying local conditions.
you will recall that we feared
such a plan would be a violation CT
the criminal laws of the United
States You then assured us you
would endeavor to secure the opin-
ion of your attorney general. For
four weeks you have been assuring
us that you would furnish this opin-
ion. At the last conference you will
recall that we expressed disappoint-
ment at not receiving this opinion
and withheld final Judgment on your
proposal, on your further assurance
that you would send us this opinion
That was the status of the negotia-
tions when you issued your state
ment. The opinion has not been re-
ceived
Again, let US repeat, as stated in
our letter of November 8. that the
opinion and a memorandum of your
specific suggestions would be a great
help in our study of the points at
iSsue,'"