Evening star., 1923-07-21

a profit of 10 cents to As cents a ton
| but these middlemen are now ex-
| tortfng 81, and with the law of sup
| ply and demand working with them
| they may just as easily demand Sc
profit per ton.
Poor VIII Suffer.
| THE federal fuel administrator has
| advised every one to put in their coal
| now, but they can't get the coal at a
| right to say fill my bins l don't care
what II costs" but the poor people
cannot do this, and they are the ones
| that will suffer unless the President
calls upon Congress to take drastic
| action.
| The federal fuel administrator has
no power, only influence. and he has
\ used that influence to the best advan-
tage and isn't getting far. To help
| him I sent questionnaires to all the
dealers in western Massachusetts, and
| have turned their replies over to Fed
eral Distributor Wadleigh. The condi-
| ton shown by those reports on actual
needs is truly alarming.
Il am thoroughly convinced that the
only way possible to prevent much suf-
l fering next winter is through govern
ment supervision of prices and dis
| tribution. The fact finding commits
sion's report says that the President
| in emergencies should take charge of
| production. / think we should have
drastic legislation. There is no great
er public need than for anthracite coal
for domestic use. Electric light rates
and distribution are regulated. Water
car lines and freight rates are regu,
lated. AS great need as for any OF
| these public utilities is fuel. Conse-
| quently, the federal government must
step in and see that the people are
dealt fairly with by those having the
| stocks Of coal.
| Charua CoIIusyon
THE federal government should
lover inspection of the quality of Goa
at the mines, the price and distri
button.
| Il have been informed by govern
grave suspicious that high prices il
some localities including New Eng
land. is due to the fact that there il
collusion between the railroads anC
the mine owners. Cheap coal at tn,
mines Is being shipped west, wher,
there is longer haul. and the high
priced coal is being shipped into New
| England. where you can't get. any.
thing else today.
| One of the great causes of the
England is that the Erie agency has
been taken away from Wallace an6
Peters of New York and the com.
plete tonnage turned to Chicago
CONCERN IOE ulSlTlDullOn IN lnelr ter
ritory.
| Wants Congress Called.
! II feel that the subject is so i'm.
| portant that whether there is
| strike or not, the President shoulc
i call Congress into special session or
his return. ! will have Legislation
| drafted ready for consideration a.
soon as Congress re-assembles.
| will see the President as soon q.
! possible and lay before him the fact:
| as / find them and urge for remedia
| Legislation before cold weather i
we wait until December for Congress.
| to meet 1t will be too late to prevent
| much suffering such as there was in
| my district last year. The Interstate
| Commerce Commission had a specia
| agent Investigating in western Mas.
| sachusetts and feel that, in spite Of
/ the fact that there is more anthra.
| cite coal being minded now than be.
| fore the war. they have no authority
| to enforce its distribution so as tC
| forestall suffering. All the dealer.
in western Massachusetts report
i stocks way below normal and thai
| they are unable to fill orders