Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-03
LiSf of Preferred
 Coal Consumers
HAS BEEN PERFECTED BY THE
 FUEL ADMINISTRATION
SENT TO PRODUCERS
The Government Makes First Move Toward CurtaiIing Non- Essential In-
 Asked for Period of Thirty Day-It

Washington, Dec. 2-The govern ment's first move toward curtailing nOn- essential industries during the war was made today when the fuel admin istration sent to coal producers a pre- ferred list of consumers to serve a guide in filling orders. The list estab- fishes preferential shipment for gov ernment orders, railway fuel, house. hold requirements. public utilities. steel plants. coke ovens and munitions plants.
 No Direct Order Issued.
 Although 9no direct order was issued requiring operators to give the list preference, definite request was made and fuel administration officials be- i:eve it will be followed. The priority is asked for a period of thirty days.
 "The requests are designed" said Fuel Administrator Garfield tonight, ito insure fulfilling of the requirements of those coal users whose activities are essential to the military and economic efficiency of the nation in the conduct of the war;
 Emergency Requirements.
 To obtain coal for emergency re- quirements operators were asked to notify the fuel administration imme- diately of the amounts of their free tonnage. This coal will be used to supply communities that run short un- expectedly.
 The preferential lists went to virtu- ally every operator in the country. eX- cept in the Rocky mountain distrX-s, which serve local consumers. More than 5000 were mailed.
 To Take Radical Steps if Necessary.
 Facing a coal shortage of fifty mil lion tons for the country, the fuel ad : miniStration determined that a radical step was necessary if essential indus tries and public utilities were to be kept running. It turned down Sugges- tions that a list of non-essential in dustries be prepared to which coal should be denied and established in stead the preferential list as less like ly to inJure the banking credit of con- cerns which it is considered certain will suffer.
 Power to Regulate Industry.
 Control of coal production and dis tribution gives the government greater power to regulate industry than is con- tained even in the priority of ship ment act The two powers will be used jointly and a general priority order already prepared by the committee on prio0ity will fit in with the request to coal producers made today by the fuel administration. This order will es- Iablish priority for specific materials, including coal and later probably will be extended to cover industries as a whole.
 Today's preferential list went out in slightly different form to the various
 
 Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Alabama, Tennessee Colorado and Oklahoma were requested to give preference in shipment to governmert t orders, railroad fuel. domestic require ments, public utilities and munitions plants; those in Pennsylvania ard Kentucky to government orders, rail- way fuel. domestic requirements, pub lie utilities, steel plants. by-product coke ovens and munitions plants, and those in Virginia and West Virginia to government orders. railway fuel tideWater shipments for New England domestic requirements, public utilities and munition plants.
 Conservation of Power. Fuel saving through conservation of power used by electric railway com panies is sought in a communication the fuel administration has sent to all state fuel administrators. Revision of schedules and more economic heat ing are among the suggestions ad |