Evening star., 1926-05-18
COAL MEN URGED
TO FIGHT OIL USE
Pierce, Operators Repre-
sentative, Suggests Exten-
sive Trade Mark System.

While frankly admitting that fuel
oil dealers have made inrOads in the
coal business. spOkesmen for both the
hituminOus and anthracite merc hants
today assured the members of the Ma
tionaI Retail Goa Mrrcha rts AssO"ia-
tion that their industry was tn" last
ing one the most economical and
satisfactory and proposed national !
campaign 10 combat the oil tump"ti-
tion.
In contrast to the sensational SOS
sion late yesterday when coal opera
tors were charged with selling grades
Of coal which contained a larG" per.
centage of inferior sizes. the aSs"cla-
tiOn today took up ii technical study
of the trade marked coat oil and gas
competition and distribution.
Daniel +. Pierce. a representative or
the Operators Association, who yes
terdav was the object Of the retailers
complaints. this morning told the dele
gates he intended strongly 10 recon-.
mend 10 the operators that they adopt
an extensive system Of trademarklhG
coal with view 10 Safeguarding
their own products, giving greater
satisfaction to retailers and protect
ing the consumer against SHhStFu'
tons ~ inferior grades.
Urges National Campaign.
y. II. Pape, representing IN" Va
tinnaI coal Association Of this city.
proposed an intensive national cam
paign he launched by the coal re'aii"rS
in order 10 meet the competition ~
the oil and gas dealers. Besides the
moral and financial support that conih
thus he obtained, he said. the retailers
association would he enabled I" on
large their services to customers.
MIR Pape also declared great econ
omy could he effected by consolida-
ton of retail coal merchants. There
are far too many retailers. the same
as there are too many operators, he
said
Pointing to the establishment or the
Federal OIL Conservation Board. with
a view to obtaining rational con
servation of oil" Mr.. Pape said that
there remains but about 5000 900, 10"
barrels Of fuel oil in American helds
which could be obtained under present
methods OF extraction and refining. Il II
amount estimated to last less than a
decade Beyond this amount, ne sald'
there was an estimate OF ~ .0Oo ,oOp, w"
barrels not recoverable under presen
methods This amount. according |"
present consumption. could last hut a
clared. there IS an estimated sum OF
500 600 900 cubic feet of hituminouS
coal in American fields which is recoN-
cradle.
Stresses Salesmanship Value.
Mr.. Pane declared that the effec-
tiveness of bituminous coal had been
demonstrated and that with additlona
mecha niCal developments the smoke
nuisa nee" would he entirely elimI-
mated
Lester G.. Bosler OF Philadelphia told
Of how anthra cite retailers are meet
| ing the competition OF oil and gas. II
is simple question OF salesmanshlp
he declared. arguing that anthracite
has been proved cheaper and cleaner
than other fuels. The oil competition
soon will pass. because of the scarcity
Of supplies. but this competition vii
he suppla nted by ~as burners. ne
warned the coal men.
arthur Hale A Washington aitor
ney. expla ined the legal aspects o'
trade marks. Other speakers We're
STANLEY G. Higgins, representing the
! New River Operators Association
! Winona. w. Va; Ray ID. Kelly. pres
! ident of the Midwest Coal Association
! of New York: William A. Clark. presi
| dent of the New England Coal Deal
| ers; Harold Almert. chief of the Fue
| Service Bureau of Chicago. and vii
| liam c. Atwater of New York.
! EynOn Addresses Luncheon.
! William John Eynon. past president
/ OF the United Typothetae of America
! addressed a luncheon meeting and
! this afternoon the retailers went 10
Mount Vernon on the steamer Macal
ester.
Senator Reed of Missouri and Henry
| II. Giass Il member of the United
states Tariff Commission. will be plin-
| cipal speakers at the annual banquet
/ tonight al 7:30 at the Willard Hotel
| Samuel r. Crowell will preside and
, Roderick Stephens of New York will
he toast master.
Operators Are AssaiIed.
Coal operators were charged yes
tertiay by the retail men with un
thicaI practice in selling coal to the
| retailers which did not coal ,Ip t.
specifications. Eoderick Stephens nj
| New York. who is chairman Of the
executive committee Of the assoCia
tion. made the accusation immediatel,
| following an address on the future n
the anthracite industry by Daniel Z
Pierce. vice chairman Of the Anthra
! cite Operators Conference
Declaring that the operators were
| selling grades of coal in which a larg.
| percentage of inferior grades wa.
| allowed to remain. in violation q
standards set up by the operator.
| themselves. Mr.. stephens called for :
| show of hands of retailers who coul,
corroborate his charge. Virtually al
of the 400 delegates raised hands, ant
| at the conclusion of Mr. Stephens
| statement. burst into cheers
Mr.. Pierce made no defense Of the
mine operators. lie agreed that any
operator who would sell such ",illI
| ted coal would be guilty of unethi
cal practices and promised he woul,
| tell the operators of the cOmplain; 81
the retailers.
Secret Agreement Charged.
| Another sensation was create %
when Samuel Drummond of New
York declared he had been told hv q
| United States Senator that the five
| year agreement entered into hv the
miners and operators Of the anthra
cite fields was made merely 70,
| public consumption" and that the
| agreement was not bona fide. The
| Senator was quoted as saying "A secret
agreement had been entered into ~,
which the miners were granted The
check of.
! Mr.. Pierce emphaticalIy denied botr
| rumors and optimistically declared he
believed the agreement would near
| FIVE years of peace. He explained tha
| while the strike settlement permits
| either side to ask for modification
Of wages and conditions. hoard nj
arbitration Is to he set up in case o
a deadlock whose decision is to bt
| accepted as final.