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Show PRICE CONTROL UPMGRESS FORMER METHODS IN USE BASED ON CAR SUPPLY, EXPECTED TO FAIL yrw"' "reimportations "re-importations of British Tonnage Already Al-ready Beginning to Lag Because f Higher Costa Than Domestic Do-mestic Coal Washlagton.-r-Settlement la part of the bituminous Btgko and prospects ot an agreement te end the suspension ot work in the anthracite Holds has brought tho govcrnmont faco to face with a new problem tho mattor ot controlling the prices of tho augment ed coal supply. Tho government, during the genoral suspension of mining, has usod car supply as a weapon to enforco tho price agreements to which tho producing produc-ing operators subscribed at tho be heet of secretary Hoover; but, with new mines opening dally, the federal fuel distributer has been confronted with the possibility ot a breakdown In the control exercised over prices. Whether the present system can be extondod to the mines now being opened op-ened is a question which la being given giv-en serious consideration by officials. Some of President Harding's -advisers, notably Secretary Hoover, are known to foel that congress should be asked to enact some sort of price con. trol legislation to prevent skyrocketing skyrocket-ing ot coal prices as tho result of a shortage caused by tho miners' walkout walk-out Bollot has been expressed In somo quarters that the presldont would lncludo such a request In his mossago to congress on the Industrial situation. The foderal distribution commlttoo asked whether grain elevators should be classed as public utilities, as representations rep-resentations have beon mado that the operation of larye elevators in Kansas Olty, Omaha, WltJlta and other middle Western cities -as a matter of consid. orablo urgoncy Jow, grain shipments being at their peak. The committee was said to hold that the needs ot elevators come within tho Jurisdiction of the various state fuel administrations. administra-tions. Foderal Fuel Distributer Spencer pointed out that Importations ot British Brit-ish coal had shown a tendency to lag because of the hlghor prices it commands com-mands compared with domestic coal, and declared that "thero is a real need for all British cargo coal, and It should holp to moot the roqulromonts of many consumors In Now York and Now England." |