Newton D. Baker to Woodrow Wilson

Mr. Forster, by your direction, has just sent me a letter from Governor Dunn of Chicago, to Mr. Tumulty, dealing with the coal situation. I do not know whether you are looking to the Council of National Defense, either itself or through the War Industries Board, to deal in any way with the coal situation. My understanding has been that you were personally seeking a solution of the soft coal embarrassments with the aid of the Federal Trade Commission. The War Industries Board has, I am sure, taken no action in the matter, nor has the Council of National Defense. As a matter of fact, the only immediate agency of the Council of National Defense having anything to do with the subject is the socalled Coal Committee which I personally distrust as an agency because of the divergence of interest between its members and the public. If there is something which you desire to have me do personally or have the Council do, I, of course, will be delighted to be told of it. In the meantime, just to prevent any possible misunderstanding on my part, I am writing this note explaining the situation as I understand it.