Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-30
Mines May Be Taken Next.

Taking over of the railroads was SO
Tremendous a step in the enlargement
Of governmental powers that IL o"d ar
ed into comparative obscurlty tne sus
eestion of DIR. Harry A. Garneid. hieeu
States fuel administrator. at .ne h SEINE the
fuel inquiry that taking over by tie
government of all coal mines might pc
q necessary move of the early 1uture'
Going beyond coal mines even. l,r- Saf
field suggested the possip1iity tnaI my ~
government might have to controi All
netroleum. gasoline, fuel oil and pipe
lines.
DR.. Garfield told of steps ALREADY
taken by the government which VIII
give it control of the coal output apou.
as absolutely as is possible without &c
tual federal operation of the mines IN
the future coal producers may make
no contracts for the sale OF coal. except
under regulations prescrioea os ,e
fuel administration. and even ~heh
contracts are made under these regula-
lions they will be subject to canceiia-
tion at any time upon order OF the
President or the fuel administrator. No
contract will be permitted TO run 1or
more than one year.
Dr. Garfield admitted in his testimony
that coal operators POSSIBLY were max
ing huge profits, but 1ustlhed the IN
creased prices they have been allowed
: to charge on the score of the necessity
of stimulating production. In his sug-
gestion that it might be necessary tor
TIE government to enlarge its control,
he d d not indicate whether it was pro
poses t. ask Congress for new powers
or t. exercise those already lodged by
law Ia the President. When any coal
producer or dealer fails. in the opinion
of the President. to conduct his bust
manner "prejudicial to the public in
. terest." the President Is authorized to
requisition such mine or business and
soperate it as going concern Or ne
t,1f a
coke produced shall be sold only to an
agency to be established by him. at a
price to give the producer reason
able profit"
istration and the Senate committee on
manufactures, which is investigating
the fuel situation. appeared to be to
! await development of government con-
troll Of the railroads, to see if relief
from the coal shortage and high prices
might not be obtained without further
drastic measures.
Shipbuilding Is Under Fire.
Progress of the governments ship
building program also came under the
IRE of congressional inquiry during the
week. and brought forth the suggestion
that further and more stringent con-
troll by Uncle Sam might become ncces-
sary. The somewhat favorable impress
sion created by the statement that on
December the shipping boards build
ing program was 1872 per cent COM
pietc was Offset in considerable de-
gree by the testimony OF Raymond 3.
Stevens. vice chairman of the shipping {;
board. that total of 536, 992 working;
days had been lost to the shipbuiiders
since the declaration of war by reason
Of strikes and other labor disputes.
This disclosure led to suggestions by
senators on the investigating commit
tee that CONSUMPTION of labor might be
necessary in order to carry out the gov
ernments building program. The ar
Gumcnt was advanced that il men may
be conscriPted to face German bullets
there Is no logical reason why labor
should not be conscripted to build ships
necessary TO carry food and munitions
to the men who are thus forced to i'm
peril their lives. The idea did not meet
. with favor from Mr.. Stevens, as spokes-
! man for the shipping board.
Another discourag1nc piece of infor.
nation was uncovered at the shipping
inquiry in the testimony of Admira
Bowles of the Emergency Fleet Cor.
poration. who said the wooden shir
building program. upon which suci
great hopes were based in the earl
days OF the war. was almost com.
plete failure. There was not timber il
sight. Admiral Bowles said to buiIC
more than $40 wooden ships next year
though contracts have been let for As.
such vessels. And the number contract
ed for is only a very small proportion
of those originally projected.