Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-19
COAL PRICE FIXING
INVESTIGATED HERE
Justice Department May En-
ter Inquiry to Discover if
System Exists.

Possibility that the Department of
Justice might be called in to investi-
gate alleged price-fiXing in the coal in
duStry in Washington doomed yesterday
as George M. Roberts, superintendent
of weights and measures, announced
that he would center his investigation
on this phase of the present situation.
Mr.. Roberts has in hand an investi-
cation, directed by the District Com
missioners, into the change made April
by coal dealers from selling coal by
the long ton of 2,24O pounds to sale by
2,000-pound units. In the course of his
investigation, however, Mr.. Roberts said
he had uncovered information leading
him to believe that price fixing is 60
ing on among the coal wholesalers.
II he should succeed in establishing
his point, the information will probably
be turned over to Federal authorities
for action under the Clayton, Sherman
antitrust and Federal Trade Commits
sion acts, as the District would have
no power to take any action in that
respect.
To Investigate System.
GAS early as possible" Mr.. Roberts
said in a written statement, ut is my
intention to explore the ramif1cations
of the admitted system of price-flXing
to retailers being operated by at least
one of the large wholesale coal dealers
in the city. 1 intend. also, if possible,
to ascertain whether there is a general
system Of price-fixing in existence
here"
The price fixing of the individual
dealer referred to was inferred from a
printed leafiet which Mr.. Roberts at
tached as an exhibit to one OF his
earlier reports, in which the wholesaler
informed his retail clientele that they
would not be able to buy coal from him
unless they maintained certain retail
prices for the various grades OF his
products.
AS the law is understood at the Dis
trict Building, however this OF itself
would not be SUFFICIENT to constitute
restraint of trade" urd.r the acts men
tened, unless there was also showing
of some act done in furtherance OIL
maintaining the prices at the levels set,
or of the meeting of the minds OF
number of wholesalers in an agreement
to maintain prices by retailers.
Bride TO Give Ruling.
AS to the question of the 2.000-pound
unit, substituted by the coal men for
the former system of selling by 2,24O-
pound tons, the Commissioners yeSter-
day directed Corporation Counsel VIII
liam w. Bride to render written opin-
ion whether or not this Is legal under
the weights and measures act March
3, 1920.
The act states that coal "shall' be
sold in the District by ton, each ton to
contain 2,240 pounds. In his first re-
port on the change, advertised in the
Washington press April /, Mr.. Roberts
stated that the coal men had several
times petitioned the District Commits
sioners to ask Congress to change this
law so as to make it legal for them to
sell the coal by short tons" Of 1000
pounds, and that the Commissioners
had in each case declined.
Aside from either of these problems,
Mr.. Roberts challenged the statement
in the advertisement as to the reduc-
ton in the price of coal, pointing out
that as to certain customers the price
of coal per l 1000 pounds has shown an
increase this Spring over the prices
prevailing in the Spring of 1880.