Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-15
LOCAL COAL SITUATION TO BE
PLACED HANDS OF COM.
MITTEE is PLAN.
CITIZENS WILL BE
NAMED FOR BOARD
General Plan Of National Fuel Ad
mirstration Is To Take Control Of
Situation All Over the Country Is Of
Interest Here--Outline of tho Fedora a!
Plan as Announced.

county will soon be under the control
Of a city fuel board. if the announced
plans Of the national fuel aGministra-
ton are carried out Naturally, coal
dealers and the public in general will
be interested in the announcement of
the members Of the local board The
national fuel administration board has
said that each town Of 100 or more
population and each county is to have
committee appointed by it placed in
charge of the local fuel situation.
Under the rules issued by the presi-
dent. d representative of the national
fuel administration will be appointed
in each state. also state commission.
The state repre- sentative will appoint
local committees in each city and
county, which shall determine the cost
OF coal. the freight charges and over
head. and allow reasonable profit to
the dealer.
Outline OF the Plan.
The following is the plan adopted
by the government:
The fuel administrator is immedi-
ately to choose a representative Of the
fuel administration in each state and
territory. He will also appoint in each
state in conjunction with the state
representative a committee Of citizens
who. with the representative, Will as
sumo direction Of the regulation OF the
sale ri coal in that state. No person
will be appointed. either as state
representative or on any Of the COM
mlttees mentioned below. who is con-
nected with the local coal industry.
County and City Fuel Boards.
Each state representative. as soon as
appointed, will choose a committee of
items 70 represent the fuel admins
tratIon in each county OF the state
and IN each city IN the state having
more than 900 population.
The state representative and the
state committee will be chosen directly
by the fuel administrator, with the APP
prevail Of the president
The county committees and the city
committees will De chosen directly by
the state representative.
The state committee will at once as
certain the amount OF coal in the state
available for use during the coming
winter and the amount Of coal needed
to meet any deficiency in the supply,
based on last years consumption.
MARGINS to Be Ascertained.
II will be the duty Of the various
committees to ascertain and report 10
the fuel administration the reasonable
retail margin wiz, the cost Of local
distribution and a reasonable dealers
profit to he allOwedD This margin,
when duly fixed by order, together with
the cost at the mine named by the
president. the transportation charge
and the jobbers' commission. when sold
to jobber. will constitute the price
TO the consumer The fuel administra
ton will make public from its local
committees in each community su;h-
cient data to enable the indiVldu1! "on-
sumner - ascertain for himself the eS
taDlished price.
These figures will be compiled with
relation TO local needs. in order that
the fuel administration may, II neces-
s4ry. apportion the supply Of coal with
careful regard to the greatest existing
needs. There are many communities
today in which there Is no supply Of
coal available a, retail prices.
Output Under Contract.
\ very large proportion Of the coal
supply available for the coming winter
is under contract. These contracts,
which are allowed to stand for the
present. were made prior 70 the presi-
dents proclamation, and very largely
limit the amount which may be placed
on sale at retail prices based on the
presidents order.
II is absolutely essential, however
that a sufficient amount OF coal be put
on the market at once at these prices
20 meet the needs Of domestic con-
suners. The fuel administration be-
lieves that this supply OF coal can be
made available, and will be made
available by voluntary arrangement be-
tween the operators and those with
whom they have contracts, and thus
make it unnecessary for the fuel ad
rninistration to exercise or recommend
the powers, the exercise Of which Is
provided in the Lever act.