Evening Star Newspaper, September 24, 1923, Page 3

SOMSSON URGES COAL SUPERVSION Favors Lincensing Dealers and Operators by Govern- ment in Einal Report. Declaring that to dea] effectually with the national coal government must go beyond uous fact-finding and publicity,” Coal Commission in its final report to . President Coolidge recommends gov- ernment supervision through exer- cise of its interstate commerce Pow- ers. Direct responsibility pervision, the comm should be lodged in a specially ated division of the Interstate Com- mefce Commission, operating through a system of licensing. to include dealers as well as producers. for such su- Summary of Bastc Evils. Reiterating many of the recom- mendations -in" its previous reports on special phases of the industry, the commission, in the report published today, summarized the basic evils which government regulation, it be- lieved, should.largely mitigate. At the same time, the commission says “the largest opportunity for putting the coal -industry in order lies with the industry itself.” The fundamental evil in the an- thracite industry, the report said, lies in its monopohstic feature. To pro- tect the public interest in this regard the commission suggested the levy of a graded tax on royalties and differ- ential profits. While this would not lower the price of coal, the commis- | sion said, it would. securz a_ public revenue without increasing the prive. In the availabjlity of substitutes for hard coal, it was said, the public holds in its own hands the main rem- edy for extortionate prices. Overdevelopment, irregularity of operation and uneconomic distribu- tion as to rail carriage were sum- inarized as the basic evils of the bitu- minous industry. A federal super- sion-policy, the report said, should clude not only a natural limitation of marketing area by the adjstment of freight rates, but also encourage- ment for the consolidation companies, under conditions quately protecting the public inter- est. Importanee of Conl. Declaring that in the life of avérage citizen the problem of fuel is subsidiary “only to food and water,” the commission -urged that it be handled by “an effective agency, with sufficient funds, experience and powers at jts disposal” and charged with direct responsibility. The report said: “The coal industry like other industries, but with excep- tional ciearness, reveals two distinct and contrasting tendencies agement. There is one animated by a purely " acquisitiy exploiting spirit. He is rightly 1 end the public i which de- mands that he be exposed and ulti- mately forced out of business is sound. Management for effective service to the public is the second of the tendencles mentioned, and the commission is convinced that Sthis tendency is clearly in the ascendant. The coal industry can reform itself from within.” Recommendations reports on_ special dustry were ‘reiterated ‘n the final report. Facilities for publishing data on coal production. wages and other vital statistics should be made per- manent, the commission sald. an recorded thst the bituminous opes ators' special committee had just fil with the commission a tentative planm 10oking to such an organization which would be, under government super- vision. made in earlier phases of the in- Necessity for Faets. “The first step toward protection of the public interest,” the report de- clared, “is a better public understand- ing of the coal business. Guided b: facts rather than rumors, by informa- tion rather than prejudice, the people will ‘be able to exercise wisely the powers of the government over this type of private busine “Both to protect th, promote the norm: public and to elopment _of ~ SPECIAL NOTICES. STAKE YOUR GAS WATER HEATER tion 1405 N, of furnace. & AN 3 fronts, additions. repairs; general contrac: 5th st. n.w. Phone TYPEWRITING—DICTAPHONE TRA ing. authors’ mes. quickly and “ calied for and delis, H. Main_ 5080, branch THE (O-PARTNERSHIP HELE isting between Max Sislen and Jacob Green. in_the conduct of retall grocery store Wisconsin ave., has been absolved by MAX SISLE: JACOR_GR «f WILL NOT BE RESFPO. contracted by others than 5 M st n.w TUNTON BADIATORS roamental: 38 inches: 3 and 39 Wisconsiny ave. mv!be'{. FALL REMODELING AND REPAIRING. Reputable contracting firm will handle gen- eral remodeling and repair work to maintain its orgapization during fall and winter months. _Avdress Box 279-E, Star office. BEAUTIFUL FLOORS. 0ld_floors_renovated and new floors ©._ADAMS. Main 1457. Barrister Bldg. 2 5 S REFINISHED OR POLISH] FLOORS B Rie. MaciT B R. E. NASH, 2507 Sherman ave. Col. 4731 Service Printing —meaning service plus good printing at * The National Capital Press | P uxodn:llt;_n._ We Handle Your Auto —Repair jobs promptly, ef- ficiently, economically. = Give us a try-out next time. R. McReynolds & Son Epecialists in Painting, Slip Covers ‘and Tops. 1423-1425 L 8T. N.W. Main 7228. Your Printing —will make a good impression | if Adams executes the work. High grade, but not high priced, BYRON S. ADAMS, ERINTER, Furniture Repairing, Chair eing Upholstering ; small shop ; small rices. CLAY ARMSTRONG 1233 10th st. n.w. Franklin 7483 WE KNOW ~—How to repair roofs so_they will stand the most severe winter storms. Phone or drop us & card. IRONCLAD Hoofing 1121 5th st. n.w, Company. Phone M 14 J. C. Ruzanski & Co. o1l . 9458, service. Expert refinishers. Spe okol Automatic Oi! Burners built gnd sold by the authorised - di utor under year's guarantee at gred. sa Only limited number so act . New York sve. .. Mutusl Service, - dne., 1411 EStH ¥ i the | { natural | FLAT TIRE? Coves i WUAMS DERS FRENCH PASTRY POR DESSERT- IT'S SUCH TUN CHOOSING RETURNS TO CONTEMP- LATION OF TRAY SIDES HAS WHIPPED CREAM IN AT EXPLAINS WHAT WHIPPED CREAM DOES TO HER Copyright, 192: 3. by The McClure Newspoper PORTRAITS 3 N SNAPSHOTS—SEISENNG rknch PaSTRY. CASTS HER EYE HUNGRILY OVER— TRAY ASKS WAITER FOR DETAILS OF THE N- MAKES A PRESH START AND PINALLY NARROWS CHOICE DOWN TO TWO THE. EVENING - STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C . —B ASKS AREN'T THERE THING - ON THEM OF VARIOUS WOULD BE RICH KINDS AND TAKES AN ECLAIR. Syndicate. OF THOSE CHOCOLATE CURL- EYCEW KIND OF THINGS WITH LITTLE DABS OF SOME- ASKS TFRIEND 1P SHE THINKS THAT ONE DECIDES AT LAST MIN UTE TO PLAY IT SAFE GLUYAS WILLIAMS l ANY TINALLY - REMEMBERS| T WAS SOMEWRERE ELSE SHE HAD THOSE APTER. MUCH MENTAL AGONY MAKES HER. SELECTION. Dis COVERS| IN NICK OP TIME 1T WITH EACH RITE GF ECLAIR. WISHES SHE HAD: TAKEN SOME- THING ELSE great basic industry, the com- ssion recommends the use of the powers of the federal government { over interstate commerce, recognizing that under our constitutional system this m ity rests on the state and local gov ernments and should remain there and an even larger part on the ind try itself and the public which it serves. The public includes in stors in coal lands and properties, coal op- erators and miners, sales agents and | retail deale as well industrial and domestic consumers, and it is the aim of the commis: n, in view of the facts presented in its report, not only to protect the legitimate interests of | the Indusry, but to uilize to the full- est extent the good will and resources of the industry itself in puttingtoan end the disgraceful evils which have developed and which we have de-| scribed “The commission is equally ;I\"'T.\l‘.‘ on the one hand to the unnecessary [ establichment of any new and un- | attached governmental agency and { on the other'to leaving this very necessary governmental responsi- { Fility to a haphazard collaboration | of existing bureaus. whether in any | | ene department or in several depart-| ments. We believe that i and appropriate agency to exercise | the necessary administrative and quasi judicial functions required for the coal industry already exists in the Interstate (Commerce Commis- sion. We recommend the creation for this purpose of a special division in that commission. There should be { some organic relation between the | Interstate Commerce Commisston, (nl | the exercise of its regulatory powers { the logical over the coal industry, and the geo- logical w and other bureaus h already have. experience and | facllities for collecting any part of | | the information needed. The Inter-, state Commerce Commission itself | should, however, create any neces- sary facilities for continuing' the collection of current information | which does not more appropriately { and naturally come from these exist- ing sources. Fact finding and in- terpretation of the facts would thus, with mutual advantage, be separated [ to this extent from executive mction | based on the facts. The government must go beyond continuous fact find- ing and publicit important and ele- mentary th functions are. surve Evil of Monopoly. i “The fundamental thracite industry nopoly—the evil is in the an- that of mo-; treatment, of limited | resources as if they were lile other private property. Reliance on competition without supervision ! has resulted in persistence of a per- | manent level of high prices above | which extortionate increases were | made whenever a suspension of min- | | ing_or other disturbances give rise | to the phenomenon of premium-coal. | | In the anthracite industry we have | | secured stability-gwhich is desirable —but it has been %t high cost to the consumer and has made anthracite a luxury fuel. “One remedy, short of price fixi or public ownership, remains in " ths | hands of the government for the pro- | tection of the public interest. This | is the levy of a graded tax on roy- |alties and differential profits. This would not lower the price of coal,| but it would sceure a public revenue | Without increasing the price of coal The present sales tax imposed by the state of Pennsylvania on anthracite gives no such protection, even though | it yields some $7,000.000 to the state. | Since it is a percentage on the f. o. b mine price, it falls on the marginai high cost producer, as on_ others, and even more hea; ling MAIN 500 LEETH BROTHERS Service Charge never Over $1.00 {fl FIRST TRUST NOTES ' For Sale convenient denominations of $250 and upward. See Mr. Field Hedges & Middleton, Inc. REALTORS 1334 H St. N.\W. Frankiin 9503 Your Auto ;i —ON— Pay As You Ride On Cord Tires A SMALL PAYMENT DOWN AND BALANCE IN ONE, TWO AND THREE MONTHS. Guaranteed 8,000 Miles T. O. Probey Co. Phone West 133 2100 Pa. Ave. N.W. i profit operator, the range being from , and is therefore the' consumer in the form of still higher prices. An excess profits tax, as suggested above, un- der these monopolistic conditions, coal, and thus would not be passed along to the consumer, as it would fail only on those who have differential advantages. Thus, the federal in the five-year period 1917 studicd by the commission, w enient to the low profit opera and_bore more heavily on the high nts a ton on a non-dividend pay- & company to 28 cents on one of the most profitable companies. Use of ubstitutes. “The main remedy, however, against extortionate prices lies in the con- sumer himself. There are substitutes for hard coal and a readiness to re- sort to them is the ultimate and ef- foctive defense against an unreason- able price. “The mining and marketing of soft coal is the larger and, from the point of view of the national economic life, the more important industry, and here the fundamental evil is overde- velopment, irregularity of operation and consequent enforced idleness of miners and of invested capital. This economic warrant 1 government undertaking the distri- a substantial part of the responsibil- Pwould not be added to the price of lution of coal in the several com- munities of the country. must pay the price, and one of the prices exacted of it is that the cit- {izens of a community shall look after their Sour Stomach other flelds producing coal of simi- lar_character. “There is neither constitutional nor for the federal Democracy own welfare and discharge DOCTORS RECOMMEND HERNDON’S INDIGESTINE For the Relief of Indigestion 35 Dy‘pep”.‘ A Bottle Flatulence TACAN Drug Stores | their own duties. Therefore. it is the“ function of each. community - by “Ii- censtng retall coal dexlers, by organ- izing co-operative associations, by eatablishing municipal fuel yards, or in whatever other ways th2y may see 16t, to take mecessary. steps that after the coul reaches the railroad siding the dlstribution thereof Is made to: the consumer upon @ fair and equifable brofit to the distributing agéncy, whatever it may be.” NOTED BULLFIGHTER HURT. MADRID, September 24.—Luis Freg. famous Mexican bullfighter, . was gravely injured yesterday by a bull in i the ring here. he surgeons in at- tendance express doubht -as to whether they will be able to save Freg's life. Paints, Oils, Glass and Brushes Becker Paint & Glass Co. 1239 Winconsin Ave. ‘West 67 Ask before you buy that used car if the motor and other ' mechanical parts— and tires and battery are guaranteed in writing for a definite period. If so, what does the. guarantee mean? - Does it cover re- placement of any part fail- ing to give service—in- cluding free labor? If not, take no chances. Buy a “Certified Gold Seal Used Car.” Sterrett & Fleming, Inc. Champlain St. at Kalorama Rd. Columbia 5050. Branch Sales Room, 1223 Conn. Ave. Branch Used Car Show Room, 1931 14th St. N.W. Sole. Agents *i) for Men & Women Raleigh Haberdasher Thirteen-ten F St. KNOX HATS Inc. Our book of facts “Automatic Qil Heating problem, like ‘that of anthracite, can be solved only by the federal govern- ment, in co-operation with the in- dustry, working on a national scale | and with a_clearly defined national | policy. It is through the granting and withholding of transportation service through supervision that an equilibrium can be established be- tween demand and output. Transportation Ineficient. “Throughout its investigation this commission has constantly found points of . intimate contact between interstate commerce regulation and ! ihe coal business. Greater use of | river transportation would help tol get more coal to market with less; coal cars. The river movement of | coal, considered at one time, has been discouraged. if_not stifled, by artifi- | cial rail rates. Economy in the use of transportation also demands that the long haul of coal be no longer en- couraged by favoring rates, estab- lished without adequate rvegard to the cost of the transportation service rendered. Thus, much of the soft coal that is now produced and con- sumeq in this country is transported undue distances, in many instances on its way to market passing across Something new-—very hard soft coal screened to an- thracite stove size—no dust or dirt—$10. Samples in our office. Sold in Washington exclusively by John P. Agnew & Co. 728 14th St. N.W. Main 306S. THE ARGONNE On Columbia Road at 16th Street Delightful Apartments A few desirable apartments are available in this new mammoth fireproof building, located in an environment appealing to those of refined taste—those who value the influence of surroundings. Convenient to markets and stores, served by the best transportation facilities. The wvery few unengaged apartments are open for your inspection day and evening. WILLIAM S. PHILLIPS Realtor 15th and K Sts. N.W. Main 4600 SPECIAL BARGAINS NEW HOMES $500 CASH New Two-Family Apartments Live in One—RENT THE OTHER Sixteenth and A Sts. NE. Just North E. Cap. Cars and New High School Two-story houses, with four rooms, bath and back porch on each floor. You can buy the building and rent out the second floor for enough to greatly aid you in purchasing the house, making a good speculation as well as an-investment. Don’t miss- this chance. Electric Lights—Window Shades Plenty Room for Garages, Gardens and Flowers Hot-Water Heat—Large Lots 1311 H St. N.W. for Your Home” is complete, authentic and interesting Send for it okol Burmers 1411 New York Ave. Phones: Main N.W. Although more powerful in the presence of saliva than t:u Car- bolic Acid, Zonite can freely at sufficient strength to destroy disease germs with which it comes in contact. The promptness with which Zonite ; relieves most throat affections has been a revelation to tens of thous- ands of users of this new form of antiseptic. : n& Lonite Help! 1 If it's the roof—call Rose—North 2044—and you've taken the first step toward restoration, Then leave it to us. We'll put it in proper order to stand any siege of weather and service. ‘- 'Every man to his trade—and roofing in all its phases is our trade— one in which we are; long and varied expe- rience. Rose Roofs are best roofs always—and Rose charges are right charges—always. You'll say so. Phome North 2044 212022 Georgia Ave. used as a gargle or throat lprl{l i | ail | thoroughly skilled from [ i Wonderful Stock to Select From More Big Values —Each day finds our Great September Sale growing in interest. Those who have been in have told their friends, with the result that the demand has been tremendous. We have not only reduced the price of every second- hand and slightly used instrument in stock, but we also make a big redue- tion on most of the new instruments.- Generous Discounts on New Phonographs —They have the discontinued style Cases You have choice of a very large stock of new and slightly used and traded-in instru- ments; also a number of Aeolian-made Pianos, Player-Pianos and Phonographs; some but slightly used, others new, upon which a generous discount prevails. Upright Player- | Phono- | Several Hun- . dred $1.25 Pianos graphs Phonograph - as low-as as low as Record Albums $100 | $350 $50 Thousands of Player-Piano Music Rolls Former Prices to $1.25 . Pianos as low as 79c Brand-New Baby Grand " 'Specially Priced for Our September Sale ' This instrument will compares fl favorably with a great many A Grands which sell as high as $700. JOIN OUR BIG VICTROLA CLUB Any style you select will be delivered immediately upon an initial payment of This New Style Victrola Manv advan- tages offered, in- cluding conveni- ent Monthly Payments. We Have a Complete Stock of the -New Double-Faced Victor Red Seal Records Catalogue Mailed On Request EXTRA SPECIAL Four Player-Pianos (traded in instruments), 10 UPRIGHT PIANOS $ To Close Out Quickly, Each...................... 27 1 “SPECJALISTS IN' PIANOLAS AND REPRODUCING - PIANOS ™ O'J-DemOLL EMMONS S.SMITH