Woodrow Wilson to Newton D. Baker
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I am very much distressed about what has been done with regard to agreeing upon a price for coal. The price said to have been agreed upon is clearly too high and I do not think that the government departments would be justified in paying it. It happens to be the particular price upon which charges are at this very time being based by the Department of Justice against the coal dealers.
I am myself personally embarrassed because I had just had conferences with the Federal Trade Commission which made me hopeful that I might be instrumental in bringing about an understanding which would be in every way more fair and reasonable.
I would very much value your counsel upon this matter, and I would appreciate it very much if you and your colleagues of the Council of National Defense would keep me in touch with plans of this sort, because unconsciously we are working at cross purposes.[Woodrow Wilson]Hon. Newton D. Baker,Secretary of War.