Evening star., 1926-04-08
FISH ASKS 'P|T|LESS
PUBLICITY ON COAL
Proposes Bureau in |. c. c. to
Publish Facts-Scores
"InvisibIe" Rule.

Charging that invisible govern
ment" and professional lobbyists
have held up coal legislation for many
years and have even been able to pre-
vent hearings on coal. Representative
Hamilton Fish, ir., Republican of New
York. today proposed to the House
committee on interstate and foreign
commerce that bureau TO collect and
give "pitiless publicity" to all facts
on coal be established in the Inter
state Commerce Commission.
Branding anthracite dealers as 'un-
scruRulous' and charging that they
are now adding 81 and 81 to the price
Of coal per ton TO pay for the losses
during the strike, Mr.. Fish said. Con.
gress will be held responsible by the
people for. failure to act on coal legis-
lation.
Coal Is the biggest single issue
before this Congress. he said. 1T is
even bigger and more important than
the Mellon tax reduction plan. 1t
affects the lives. health and happiness
of millions of people, where the tax
reduction plan affects comparative
few. II affects primarily the poor
pay the few additional dollars added
on his coal bill by unscrupulous an
thracite coal Dealers
Statement Challenged.
Mr.. Eish's statement that outside
influence had been brought on Con
gress TO prevent coal legislation was
sharply challenged by committee
members. Representative Parker OF
New York. chairman of the committee
said he had not been approached by
any one to prevent the hearing OF
even influence his opinion. Repre-
sentatives' Huddleston. Democrat, OF
Alabama, and CARRIER, Republican, OF
Oklahoma, both said they had no,
been influenced against proceeding
toward coal legislation.
1t took 20 years 10 get railroad
legislation. working against powerful
railroad lobbies.'' Mr.. Fish said. "ane
1t took score more of years to get
through the parcel post measure
working against the express compan my
lobby. This situation is even more
intricate and delicate than either oi
the others. for it involves compulsory
arbitration. emergency measures and
other controversial issues.
Mr.. Fish said the first step in coal
legislation is TO create fact.fnding
commission in the interstate Com.
merce Commission to secure all facts
concerning production. distribution
and price of coal and TO give the ut.
most publicity to its findings.
Opposes Price Fixing.
He announced he was against Gov.
ernment ownership. price fixing and
even emergency legislation. adding
that he did not believe Congress
would he able at the present session
to get through comprehensive meas
IRE dealing with coal. The fact
finding body I propose Is the founda
ton of the whole situation" Mr.. Fish
said. Congress has paramount
duty to protect the people. Next to
water and food / regard coal as the
most important factor in the life of
the people. The public is being
mulcted and is forced TO pay exorbi-
tant prices. ! am here to make one
demand of your committee-that it
urge immediate constructive coal
legislation at this session Of Congress
and pass it,"
Questioned by Mr.. Parker. Mr. Fish
said he believed continuous supply
of coal from mine to consumer Is even
more important than the price of coal,
even though price is an important fac.
tor in so far as 1t applies to the small
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