Evening Star Newspaper, April 14, 1940, Page 29

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, APRIL 14, 1940—PART ONE. Minimum Price Plan Adds $44,000,000 fo Nafion's Coal Bill w . ~ & Bituminous Examiners or l Favor 11 Cents a Ton : Boost for Producers : By NELSON M. SHEPARD. Recommendations for the frst minimum prices to be fixed for the Nation’s soft coal industry; provid- ing an estimated average increase of 11 cents & ton for producers over the 1937 prices they received at the mines, were filed yesterday with Director Howard A. Gray by the examiners of the Bituminous Coal Division of the Interior Department. Designed to stabilize the industry and put it on a “paying basis” by ¥ wiping out its sizable yearly income . deficits, the proposed minimum prices would add approximately $44,000,000 to the consumers’ an- nuel coel bill, ¥ was estimated yes- | terday, They would establish a #floor® below Which the more than 3,500 code member producers eould . not sell at the mine without in- eurring penalties. No minimum prices are proposed or intended for Petailers. The examiners, Thurlow G.Lewis, Charles O. Fowler and Samuel H. Jaffee, reported their recommended prices would give the industry an estimated minimum of $2.072 per ton. This is as near to the $2.088 'F DESIRED BY ANY average cost of production pekr to& as it was possible to make formulating minimum prices under RESPONSIBLE PERSON the Coal Act. In 1937, the most recent period for which official figures are available, the industry averaged $1.964 per ton. Large Income Deficits. For the more than 400,000,000 . tons of bituminous coal mined ane nually the income deficits incurred by producers have ranged from more than $22,000,000 for 1925 to an estimated $50,000,000 or more each year since 1927, according to a sumers’ Council of the Bituminous Coal Division at recent hearings that the proposed minimum prices " # were designed to wipe out an esti- h mated $44,000,000 deficit incurred | = in 1939. For that reason, he clai . 3 ed, they could operate theoretically % 5 A . 5 to add that amount to the con- e + : i o sumers’ coal bill. b 545, 3 b ¥ i The examiners’ recommendations are subject to changes by Director 2t : o Gray who will announce shortly : ' the date on which he will begin I . to hear arguments on exceptions taken to the proposed prices. Then he will make his determination of the prices and marketing rules and announce the effective date. Few changes in the prices probably will be made for the task of the examin- i 0 o ers required three vears of study and § : S B Cres the most exclmlg ncws we many months of hearings. : : ; " . Cover Every Grade. L ; v The recommendations cover every o s s : ¥ ¥ e grace of bituminous coal and the| . \ T " have been able to offer in years! destinations to which they are 5 ¥ ghipped. They range from a low of & { . { o 3 : 10 cents for a very inferior grade 3 { ; an Ode 1 of coal dust up to a high of $4.80 i g 7 3 3 5 % Br d new 1940 m I Gas Refrlg. per ton for a fine grade of “domes- 4 . = b 3 tic” lump. The prices are classified e g . - g % . d s d by 10 regions, with Pennsylvania, = g i i 4 e g - erator: CES an erms bcy Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, i & . a2 : _ " S at Prl t on ©Ohio, Michigan. Eastern Kentucky E e G - i 4 U ana Northeastern Tennessee in- : v 3 . e : Shrames Bales Tl ] _ - . S your fondest dreams. No need now Celumbia is in this region. ' 1 The average minimum price of 3 4 1 5 T ¢ % 5 ' $2.088 per ton is proposed for No. 1 £ ¥ ; S § 8 LA y H region, which is compared to the = “ i : 3 2 ¥ : to PUt Ofi buymg thc ICfrlgmtor average cost of $2.128 per ton pro- | % : - 1 g % ¥ 7 duced at the mine. : - 3 i B . 3 4 7 The report on the examiners’ i ' s 0 g 3 { S ry—an findings is yet to be filed but that 3 o G § i % > that haa taken the Count d is merely perfunctory. While the b 3 4 3 e : recommended prices represent in- M : : 5 LA § ‘fi’ . creases over the present rates, it i - 5 4 - v /5 Y Hi8 R 3Shmgt0n-by storm. was announced, these increases are - L 5 i / $ 143 not spread uniformly over all the : b g i 3 r : coal sales to which they apply. The examiners found producers often v have been forced to take whatever i o i | 315 o prices they can get, with prices - 2 5144, 1 fluctuating from month to month, ¥ j ) § W}lefller you are buymg your depending on competitive marketing : 5 4 < K i 3 conditions and other factors. : sl s 5 Ll E f. . f . Below Cost in Some Regions. " > 7 4 st Some Beglons U ; - ; ; 1rst automatic re rigerator=-or is estimated for the country as a 4 ] $ ‘ whole, the minimum prices are ¥ 2 o ¥ ; - p s Considerably below the oo of pro- \ - v it changing to your second—you duction in some regions. ; g 4 3 thmgector Gray announced recently G - ’ e Bituminous Coal Division would | : : ; ; i not take it “lying down” if retailers ¢ ; owe it to yourSCIf to g¢t thc boosted the prices unreasonably for : 3 s consumers because of the minimums : 4 3 fn Al 3 & that are eventually established. A : - ooft i 1 ry this ioera close watch will be kept through o 3 2 WhOIC sto about refrlg tor the Consumers’ Council. 3 - . Since the close of the hearings, : : . the examiners have studied more| ! ' ¥ marvel of the age. Se than 26,000 pages of testimony, 2,000 E i 3 i g = Aedbaus exhibits and scores of other legal § ¢ ; i documents. Mr. Gray's determina- : tions should be issued in another o 4 ‘ 3 ShoerOmS—TODAY! month and are subject to appeal oo % $ J : to Secretary of the Interior Ickes. They will have full legal effect unless changed by Mr. Ickes. ;ars&c‘.'c.‘c.*cu_mp e e ’ " Here’s why people are changing o Mark Seventh Year : . LN : c;;\: gr;:p Cie‘;itli?)rllhh(e:gnsgvati&x; L o - to the Modern Gas Refrigerator! country, Camp Roosevelt, in George Washington National Forest, near Edinburg, Va., will celebrate its 7th anniversary next Wednesday. All the members of the original company, which occupied the camp s Mrs. 1da McGee, 1419 Shepherd St t, N. W., s A T e o NO OTHER REFRIGERATOR OFFERS , > © Cpri e ey District of Columbla, according to “What a thrill it was to get a silent Electrolux Gas mander of the Third Corps Area in Refrigerator after putting up with a noisy refrigerator. e ALL OF THESE ADVANTAGES! Mgy e never par with our g refgertor afes en e L v S joying its silence and low °8 rain, g° et ; S e Rl LR . o - Camp NP-14, located in Rook Greek Permanent Silence ® No Moving Parts To Wear © Contin- s Park, near Military road and Oregon avenue. ued Low Operating Cost ®© More Years Of Serving © Plenty Mrs. R. E. Acton, 1909 17th Street, S. E., says: The day's program will include a o et ead enlcteimanent by Of Ice Cubes © Fullest Food Protection® ® Modern Beau- PSR = Rscoa whics fiy s penuisatly e camp gles and dramatln clule. ty And Convenience Plus ... .. The Price You Can Pay! :ifi“:i'ig:'::"’lmcbe’ e s IP“'I“’ Cathedml Preceptorls ectrolux as engexztor. ts low Stall to Be Dedicated running cost is a pleasure, t0o.” Dedication of a preceptor’s stall representing the establishment by the late Dr. Thomas Locke Rust of & foundation for the support of * music in Washington Cathedral will mark the 4 pm. service at the N G T o N G s L ' H T Cathedral on April 28. ? A G c o ll P q 'I " Dr. Rust, who died in 1937, pro- vided for the foundation in his will 4 " i in memory of his parents, David 11 10th Street, N.W. e 1339 Wisconsin Avenue, N. W. o REpublic 3275 Newton and Mary Locke Rust. The service will be conducted by the Right Rev. James E. Freeman. The present preceptor, who is head of the Cathedral's department of ‘worship, is Canon William Bradner. ) {