The sun., 1917-11-29
WARNING GIVEN
OF FUEL FAMINE
Less Than Weeks Supply of
Coal. Except In a Few
Parts Of Country.
AID PROMISED NEW YORK
Drastic Priority Orders to Be
Issued, but Situation Is
Called Critical.
AID PROMISED NEW YORK


WAshiSaroS. Nov IS That the
United states is face to tare with
disastrous coal famine which would be
para.yzins in ,ts effect on war industries
ana would cause intense suffering N
the homes Of the nation was the alarm
ing statement ,ssued to-day by the coal
operators of the country through their
crsaCirstion in Washington. the Ma
t'ohai Coal Association.
uN the basis OF a careful survey Of
the present sock. CT fuel on hand. the
operators estimated that there Is on
hard in the United States iess than q
( weeks supply ard that with the ex-
ception OF few sections Of the country.
such as the northwest. the entire United
States soon will be practically desti.
tute OF coal Ordinarily therx n N tne
hands Of consumers Of bisuminous coal
supply sufhcieM to last them about
thirty days
An indication that famine conditions
alresdy are beginning to strike In was
received At the Fuel Administration in
an urgent appeal by telephone from H.
H. Wigsin. State Fuel Administrator for
New York, who described the situation
there as desperate, particularly as to
anthracite. and asked for immediate aid
from Washington. This was assured
him
judge LOvett Takes Action.
Early in the day Judge n. 8. Lovett,
administrator Of priorities. issued an
order suspending the shipment Of coal
to the Northwest via the great lakes.
h,,t laNA AaA
would not release anywhere near enough
coal for the destitute parts Of the coun-
try.
With an appreciation OF the situation
and the inadeQuacy OF any local meas
ure. the Fuel Adn1inistration Tonight
requested Judge Lcvett to issue an or
der not only giving preference to all
rail movements Of coal and coke In the
United States. but also to the movement
Of all empty coal and coke cars. This
drastic order In the opinion oOthe Fuel
Administration ls the only solution 10
the congestion Of fuel trafRc iL virtually
every railroad centre in the country and
Is the only way TO prevent a famine Of
proportions no one can predicate.
While strictly army and navy ship
ments still will have priority the order
requested by Fuel Administrator Gar
neid will compel the railroads to place
all shipments oI Cooi anu Cohc Ahe"o oA
general freight
The plan 10 extend preference to
empty cars returning to mines and coke
ovens would operate to AFFORD the
greatest possible relief to coal and coke
producers who have been hampered In
keeping up their output by the shortage
OF cars.
GarAeId Asks Quick Action.
Fuel Administrator Garfield asked
that the proposed order be made effective
at the earliest moment possible and that
IL be continued In force until further
orders This would enable the Fuel Ad-
ministration to expedite the general dis
handle the available coal stocks to the
best possible advantage
The coal operators said to-day II ef-
fectiye action was not taken Immediately
a national calamity would ensue.
."rhe results OF a famine would be
disastrous" their statement said. MILL
ions Of household users OF btuminous
coal would experience acute discomfort
and in many cases extraordinary hard
sh,n % " The great pia ants manufacturing
munitions in New England and the East
would be compelled to close down or to
run on part time.
! ALREADY in several instances some OF
the largest Of these plants have on hand
a supply Of fuel wholly inadequate for
their needs. Public utility plants. such
as water. gas light and power plants
throuGhout the entire country would b
forced either to suspend operations
probably for days at a time. or to run
with greatly cuPtailed service.
the latest report Of the United State
0eoioricAl Survey shows that for tn,
week ended November 10 bituminou
mines in the great producing sectioni
OF the country produced only 773 PEI
cent Of the amount they were capable
Of producing.
MiAss Must Have More Cars.
"Analyzing the inability Of the mineI
to produce the amount Of coal they arr
capable Of producing the Geological Sur
vsy states that two-thirds Of this In
J ability was directly due to a shortage o.
cars.
1.-THE National Coal Association recos
nises that the railroads are consestss
and crowded with freight far beyont
anything ever before experienced b.
them, but this does not change the fac
Continued on Third Pags.