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Show II dffius REFUSE SHLE Administration May Return to Old Method of Coal Contracts. WASHINGTON'. April 2. Railroad administration ad-ministration officials Intimated today that a r-i urn to the old system of competitive bidding for railroad coal contracts might be the outcome of the a I tempt of mine operators to force the administration to pay the same prices lor its fuel as t he pij bl;e. There was no' denial that the price scale agreed upon by t::e operators and the industrial conference board of the department of commerce was not ac-cep'ibi ac-cep'ibi to the administration. I n rector General 1 lines, jut returned frnrn an inspection tour, beiian consideration considera-tion of the controversy immediately, but 1 refused to sa v anything concerning his plans. l'uring the war the railroad administration adminis-tration in many instances purchased fuel at market prices because of a desire to srimuiale production, but now, since that necessity has passed, the contention is ' made that the railroads are tntuled to reductions formerly given by the coal ot era ;ors b-ca ue of the immense pur- i e;:ases and the elimination of a great part j of the marketing expense In selling to i railroads. j Tno railroad administration evidently does not consider that the presence of its i f aresentative on the industrial conference board bin-is the administration to accept all its decisions. It is held there that authority au-thority conferred by President Wilson on the board extends only to the arranging - price scales to be accepted by government govern-ment purchasing agencies if "agreeable" to them. Seere'ary Glass and orhcr cabinet members mem-bers will con fer with Mr. Hines and the board regarding its recommendations on coal and also steel purchases, both for the railroads and other government agencies. |