Evening journal., 1917-09-17
j. 5. COAL Piles TO
CURB Retailers
Fuel Administration TO Ac-
quire Reserve Supplies
TO Prevent Gouging
MINES MUST DELIVER
SOME OF OUTPUT

WASHINGTON. Sept. i7.-with a pile
Of coal OF his own. Or. Harry A. Gar
field, National Fuel Administrator. is
going 10 take care OF the private con-
sumer who buys his coal by the buck
etful. This coal pile not only is going
to keep the little fellow" from freez-
ing this winter, but II is going to keep
all. consumers from paying wartime
prices.
In other words, the Federal coal pile
is going to be the club with which the
big coal operators. the jobbers and the
retailers everywhere In the United
States are to be hammered into line. Il
10 to be the means OF beating down
coal prices in defiance OF the attitude
assumed by those having coal 10 sell.
After declaring that Il am going TO
have a coal pile from which ! can sell
fuel when II ls needed" Doctor Gar
Held fastened to say that he did not
want that taken literally. The dlgni-
ed college president. who heads a Fed
eral organization that nils a complete
of1ce building, did not want It under
stood that he was going 10 don a pair
OF blue denim overails and swing a
scoop shoverful OF soft coal into every
bucket that is brought TO his coal
yard.
But the result Is 10 be similar. Wher-
ever an attempt Is made TO gouge the
consumer Of coal, the Federal Govern
ment, under the direction OF Doctor
Garfield, will step In 10 prevent II.
Instead OF a single coal pile, Doctor
Garfield will have hundreds Of them
scattered throughout the United States.
From any one OF them he can send fuel
10 any locality where It is needed.
ct will be sold" he said, "at the
price fixed by the Government for coal
at the mines, plus the freight rates and
plus the margin Of profit 70 the retailer
deemed equitable by the Government
When DR.. Garfield was asked how he
was going to get his coal pile from
which to take care Of consumer
throughout the country, he replied thai
he had list of every mine in the coun,
try together with its capacity, and thai
IN a short time he would order eacl
mine TO deliver a certain part Of IL
putput to the Federal Government a
the price fixed by the President.
This will be done irrespective Of con
tracts that coal mines may have for tn,
delivery Of their entire output. In or
der that no mine may be held responsi
bic for breaking it's contract, the fue
administrator will issue a formal orde
for the delivery Of certain number o
tons to the Government.
"There IL not enough spot coal nov
70 supply the spot coal demand" d.
Garfield said. II am going to turn I
the bituuiinous operators and sc
enough spot coal TO take care Of thi
Situation Furthermore am going I
investigate the contracts that have bee
made 10 see how 10 happens that s
murh Of the output is under contrac
Some distributors have more coal cor
tracted for than they should have. an
they are TO be compelled to give Il Vi
Something like IS or so per cent.
contracted for.
my coal resources are TO he som'
thing Ike savings bank deposits' COT
tinued Dr.. Garfield. ct have these d.
posits Now who can draw on ne?"
"1he state fuel administrator in eac
one Of the forty-eisht states" he saiS
IN answering his own question.
@Each state administrator Is 10 hay
NE county and municipal organization
have even suggested that there be
representative OF the state organizstio
IN each community Of $500 people. Th
representative Of the local communii
will report when his territory IS in ne'
OF coal. and the state admlnlstratC
will send that on 20 me
N must pay that draft. 7 will s
down with Judge Lovett, who h
charge Of priority shipments, and "
will decide from which mine the co
can be sent most sdvantageously. The
he will issue an order giving priorl'
on coal shipments TO relieve the locali'
In need"
Doctor Garfield went on TO explain IN
h was not The intention Of the fuel a
ministration 20 open coal yards and
into the retail business. delivering co
on the house-to-house basis, On u
contrary, the existing coal yards al
business organizations will be utilize
The State fuel commissioners VIII
appointed next week. and will begin
once the naming OF the local comm
Necs,