The Washington herald., 1917-09-05

was the case a year ago and yet the
amount is far from sufficient.
There are sections of the country
distant from the coal mines which are
now experiencing greater difficulty in
securing coal than has ever been their
lot because the government makes
heavy demand for fuel as also do the
railroads which are so greatly oc-
cupied in government service. The
public service corporations are also
experiencing difficulty. That was il
lustrated by the recent tie-up for two
hours OF the entire subway system in
| New York City. The coal supply
fell short and although somebody may
have been directly to blame yet had
there been an abundant supply OF coal
this interruption of traffic affecting
hundreds OF thousands would not have
taken place.
The Washington authorities are per-
suaded that no matter how great the
energy of coal producers may he
nevertheless the surplus OF coal over
the demand will be very slight, il
there be any surplus. In this view
the railway board at Washington
agrees.
1t is believed that 1t may be neces-
sary to adopt some method for the
conservation of fuel similar in its
general features to the methods Mr..
Hoover has adopted for the conser-
walton of food. The railway board
at Washington has urged that there
be as great economy as possible in
the use of gas and electric lights for
in that way some coal can be saved.
1t recommends that while the war
lasts there be an abandonment OF the
brilliant illumination of stores and
theaters. and that the so-called Great
White Ways be eliminated.
Another recommendation made by
the Railway War Board refers to the
American railroads to the end that
they might by cooperation and per-
fecting economies reduce passenger
train service. They have already
through agreement so reduced passen-
ger train service as to make it pos
sible to save a little over 100000 tOus
of coal a year. Much of this reduc-
ton has been accomplished east of
Chicago, but the railway war board
believes that i: is possible to secure
reduction of passenger service in Min
nesota and the Dakotas and else
where by the simple method of operat-
ing mixed trains upon branch lines
and by running trains on slower time
schedules on the main lines. Inconven-
lent as this may be, nevertheless the
| public will probably complain little
or not at all because it will be un-
derstood that the method is a war
measure.
There can be substitutes for coal for
| fuel purposes and the people are urged
| to get together for the winter as large
! supplies Of wood as possible. Howard
Elliott suggests that there be careful
! investigation made as to the practi-
| cabiIity Of using straw and corn stalks
/ properly baled and pressed in those
| parts OF the country that are remote
! from coal and wood. He has obtained
| some statistics which show that thou
| sands of tons of straw and corn stalks
/ are now burned in the fields, that
I be ng the easiest way to get rid of
| them. Mr. Elliott wonders whether
there may not be available use made
| of the semi-peat in Northern Mime
| sofa The Railway War Board has an
experience of ten years ago for its
! guidance in attempting to secure an
/ available fuel supply. For in the win
! ter of 1907 when the snow fell fast
and in enormous deposits causing
( blockades which extended for hun
4 drcds of miles. there occurred a tenn
| porary coal famine in the Northwest.
| 1t would have been very serious had
| it been continued for some weeks. Co.
operating as the Railway War Board
is with Mr.. Hoover so that there can
be adequate transportation for food, it
also regards the problem of the fuel
| supply for next winter as almost II
not quite as serious as is the question
of securing abundant food supplies for
our own people with some to spare
! for the allies.