The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-29
Secretary Morrow. Of Nations
Coal Association. Says Couns
try Has Only Week Supply
DR.. GARFIELD ASKS
FOR PRIORITY RULING
Only Way TO Avert Suffering
and Loss 10 to Give Coal
Right of Way Over An
Other Freight

Washington, Nov. ss.--.with Yea.
than a weeks supply on hand. ths
United States faces g. coal famine.
Nothing but a sweeping order giving
coal shipments preference over all
other freight can avert the famine.
And this order will not avert II unle1n
1t is put into effect immediately.
These statements issued by J. d i,
Morrow, secretary of the National
Coal association, with DR.. oarhsid's
statements that he had asked for =
coal priority ruling, formed the oh
max tonight to a. series OF rumoFD
that had kept all big busineaa intsr-
ests represented here on tenter-hooko
for twenty-four hours.
II was at first reported that DR.. n.
A. Garfield, fuel administrator. had
asked President Wilson to comman-
deer the mines. Later, rumor had u
that Or. Garfield had told the pregk
dent the country has only four day.
supply OF coal. and recommended i'm
mediate curtailmant Of fuel to one
third of the non essential industries.
This was to be followed by cutting
off another one-sixth of the non ss-
sentials within sixty days.
DR.. Garfield refused TO discuss hfe
visit to the white House, saying that
either he or the president would 10
sue a statement on II later X there
was anything to be said.
eutts for Preferential Rnftug.
The National Coal association.
which has been trying to obtain
preferential order so that operators
could hav. rough coal carr 10 keep
| thsir mines busy. capped the climax
by q virtual demand for this rrefsrsn~
tiai ruling. Mr.. Morrow's statement
| follow:
! "a careful CANVASS by the assco3a-
.tion and other agencies OF the present
stocks of fuel In this country dis
closes that at this time there 10 on
hand less than a weeks supply. and
that with the exception OF few sec
lions of the country, such ~ the
Northwest. the entire country Is TAO
ing fuel famine.
THE results of such = famine would
be disastrous Millions of household
users of biszirninoue coal would ak
perience acute discomfort ana In
many cases extraordinary hardship.
The great plants manufacturing NUM-
tons in New England and the Eass
would be compelled to close down or
to run on part time. Already In sew
eraI instances some of the largest OF
these plants have on hand a supply of
fuel wholly inadequate for their
I needs Public utility plants. such ~
water, gas. light and power plants
throughout the entire country would
be forced either to suspend operations.
probably for days at time. or to run
with greatly curtailed service.
Production Too Small.
| The latest report Of the United
States Geological survey shows that
for the week ending November 10
rbituminous mines In the great pro-
ducing sections of the country pro-
duced only 77.2 per cent OF the amount
they were capable OF producing. This
means that were all conditions in
ha rmony with the desire of bituminous
operators to obtain a 100 per cent
/ output from the mines. the yield OF
coal would have been approximately
oue-third greater than II has been.
Also, while Official government hg-
urex show the output OF coal darin &
he week of November IT TO have been
higher than In any week since July.
they show that mines produced but
three -fourths the amount OF coal they
were CAPABLE of producing.
THE fact that coal production was
higher this week than at any time
frar@SnrnS ,r CerprA parrN