Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-06-21
Government Pools of ProduC-
ton and Distribution Recon-
mended as Only Way to
Avoid Serious Shortage.
NEED LAWS AT ONCE
TO REMEDY MATTER
Want President Authorized to
Designate Priority Ship
mentsi Injudicious DiStribu-
ton of Cars Claimed.


Washington. June 20.-Government
pools of coal production and distribu
ton and of rail and water transpor-
tation were recommended to congress
To-Day by the federal trade commits
sion as the only means of avoiding II
disastrous coal shortage next winter,
THE commission believes" says
the report submitted after many
months of investigation ordered by
congress, that the coal industry is
paralyZing the industries of the
country and that the coal industry
itself Is paralyzed by the factor of
transportation. There are enough
coal cars in the country, but not
enough are delivered to the mines
and these cars are not moved to the
point of consumption with the great
est expedition nor are they promptly
discharged"
In view of these conditions, the
commission recommends:
"First-That the production and
distribution of coal and coke be con-
Quoted through a pool in the hands
of a government agency: that the
producers of various grades of fuel
be paid their full cost of production
plus uniform profit per ton with
due allowance for quality of product
and efficiency of service).
'Second-That the transportation
agencies of the United States both
rail and water. be similarly pooled
and operated on government account,
under the direction cf the president
and that all such metns of transport
tation be operated as a unit, the own
ing corporation being paid Just and
tn ni,s nan To-. YThtp a. 4
or normal net profit, upkeep and bet
terments."
These recommendations are ap-
proved by Commissioners Davies,
Colver and Fort Chairman Harris
dissents on the plan for transporta-
ton pool, except as a last resort and
suggests instead, that during the
war the president be authorized to
order rail and water transportation
agencies to give preference to ship
ment of coal, coke and other COM
modites in the order of their i'm
portance to the public welfare"
An urgent necessity exists for i'm
mediate legislation tn correct condi-
tions, says the report, because the
usual spring and summer accumula-
ton OF coal stocks at points distant
from producing districts lis not now
taking place, but II must be made
during what remains of the summer
unless the country is to face next
winter a most serious and an ir-
ieparable situation"
Present production of bituminous.
or soft coal is forty per cent un-
der the possible maximum, principal
ly because of the soft coal shortage,
the report declares. Consequently.
the extra large production of anthra-
cite coal this spring. one-fourth
greater than usual, has been diverted
to industrial markets ordinarily fill
ed by bituminous coal and coke.
Anthracite mines have been given
ample car supply, the commission
observes, "by reason of the close cor
porate relation between rail trans
portation and anthracite production"
Bituminous mines, however, are
compelled by the car shortage to op-
crate only part time and many min
ers are going into other work.
Contributory factors to the failure
OF organization OF coal transportation
are the high barge rates from New
York to Newport News and to Bos-
ton and the practice OF lake ships to
make trips to the northwest In water
ballast rather than carry coal.