Evening journal., 1917-12-03
Garfield GIVES
COAL PRIORITY
Issues Orders Good for 80
Days to 5000 Operators
East of Rockies
NON.ESSENTIALS MUST
TAKE THEIR CHANCES

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-Refusing to
wait longer for the issuance Of orders
giving priority 70 the shipment Of coal
on the railroads. DR.. Garfield took the
situation in his own hands yesterday
and directed requests TO the coal
operators designed TO give to indus
tries connected with the war making
activities sufficient coal to insure them
against any interruption and to sup
ply the domestic needs.
Requests went out TO 5000 operators
representing virtually all Of the coal
production Of the country, except that
of the Rocky Mountain region, asking
them to give preference for thirty
days on all shipments for Government
account. railway fuel, domestic re-
quirements, public utilities, munitlon
plants, steel plants, by-product coke
ovens and tidewater shipments to New
England.
This in effect is curtailment Of
coal shipments TO the less essential
industries. The filling Of contracts viii
begin with the industries named The
others will have TO wait until the war
needs are satisfied, II the request Of
The fuel administration is carried out.
In some cases IL is possible that the
coal operators in acceding TO Or. Gar
fields request will be failing to fulfl
some Of their contracts TO the indus
tries not included in the preferential
list They will be safeguarded against
liability since their action will be at
the instance Of a Government agency.
The advisability OF Issuing a priority
order giving fuel, food and munitions
preference over all other commodities
will be considered tomorrow at the
meeting Of the Governments new War
Council, which viii be presided over
by Secretary Baker.
Tt is a move which, because of the
strenuous objections Of the railways,
has beeh delayed from day to day by
Judge Robert s. Lovett, administrator
of priorities, and has stirred up an
infinite amount Of trouble in efforts
"a effect a solution Of the coal short
age and the scarcity Of cars In which
10 carry the coal, the latter Of whicb
conditions is reguaNied by the fuel
administrator as chiefly responsible for
the fuel famine confronting the nation.
Under the temporary priority ar
rangement made. by Or. Garfield yes
ferday, the operators Of Ohio, Michi-
gan. Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ala
bama, Tennessee, Colorado and Okla
homa will give preference TO ship
ments for Government orders, railway
fuel. domestic requirements, Pubic
utilities and muniton plants.
The operators in Pennsylvania and
Kentucky will give preference TO ship
nents for munitlon plants and by
p-edrct coke ovens. Coal from th'
Virginia and West Virginia tlelds WI
go 10 relieve the New England fue
fa~oine. and 90 supply Government
railway and domestic requirements
prof 4 ulil ties and, munition plants.
Fuel saving through the conserva-
iio- Of electric power used by electric
railway companies by the reduction Of
schedules and unnecessary heating
is sought in a communication which
the fuel administration has transmit
led 10 the fuel administrators are
urged 10 secure the cooperation OF
the electric public utility concerns TO
Eliminate all wasteful uses Of cleo
iricity.