TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V 389 



would win the confidence of those who distrusted us, building 

 each step on a solid foundation. Too much was involved to 

 permit of mistakes and our cause too righteous to admit timidity 

 or cowardice. We have not slackened our efforts in perfecting 

 the details of the organization, as men have been kept constantly 

 in the field on organization work. 



The duties of Treasurer were combined with that of Secretary 

 upon the resignation of Mr. Craven, the former treasurer. 

 Through this arrangement we were able to combine the duties 

 of keeping accounts for the Treasurer and Secretary under one 

 assistant at a saving of over $1,200.00 per annum. 



COAL INVESTIGATION 



Early in July the coal situation was investigated. Mr. Avery 

 was sent through the Illinois coal fields to determine actual 

 conditions as to supply. His investigation was thorough and 

 exhaustive. It determined one thing early in the investigation 

 that coal at that time could not be bought by any one without 

 paying a premium to the broker. The investigation went so far 

 that your Secretary became convinced that every pound of coal 

 was being profiteered, and issued notice to the effect that every 

 one should do their best to supply as much local fuel as possible. 

 We are of the opinion that this advice was heeded quite general- 

 ly, as the supply of coal is now beyond the demand, but the price 

 of all coal to the consumer up to this time has been profiteered 

 upon, not by local dealers but by the operators and brokers. It 

 is but one of the scandalous practices that have prevailed in this 

 country and is entirely upon a par with our sugar scandal, which 

 was nothing short of criminal, and yet our great government 

 with its all powerful machinery for enforcing justice was blind 

 to the operations of these high handed pirates that robbed the 

 people with impunity in utter disregard for morals or human 

 welfare. Early in September the confiscation of coal by the rail- 

 roads threatened serious difficulties for the farmer. It came 

 about suddenly at a time when threshing was at its height. A 

 flood of telegrams and phone calls informed us that threshing ma- 

 chines were being stopped in every part of the State. The Iowa 

 Railroad Commission through Mr. Webster answered our re- 

 quest for immediate action, and upon our showing as to the wide 

 spread seriousness of the problem, immediate release of all coal 

 for threshing was procured. 



