The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-20
DOLING OUT THE COAL
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORMATION BU REAU
BY Frederic }. Haskin. Director
Washington, ID @.


ply, or even two. That would be
boarding, and would have a tendency
to increase the price. But to buy one
winters supply in the summer Will
help the mines to keep running; it
will save the retailer money by keep
ing his delivery service busy during
the dull season, and saving him cart
age in the winter when he is rushed
with business and streets are blocked
with snow.
In addition to this, make every rea-
sonable saving of coal that you can.
If you live in the country, don't keep
the kitchen fire going just because you
are too lazy to put it out. If you live
in the city, do not burn any more
lights or burn them any longer than
necessary.
This is the gist of the advice which
the committee of coal producers
working with the council of national
defense, would offer to the American
people. Their task is to make the
coal supply of the United States go
around. In the first place we must
keep our own factories going, and
especially those making munitions and
other war materials; we must supply
the domestic market at a reasonable
price; ana we must send fuel to our
allies Some of them are in dire need
of it. Italy will have to shut some of
her munition factories unless Ameri-
can coal reaches her in larger guam
titles very soon
In spite of this tremendous demand
upon American coal mines, there is
no cause Tor alarm. There is nothing
in the situation to justify such a coal
panic as we had last winter, when
many persons bought three years
supply of coal at a very high price,
thereby exhausting the retail supply
and forcing the price still higher.
The United States has enormous
coal beds that are untouched and the
mines now in operation in this coun-
try, and producing half a billion tons
a year, are capable of producing half
again as much. Where lies the diff
Guilty then? In the shortage of labor
and of cars. We can produce more
coal if we can get the labor; but the
immediate problem faced by the COM
m1ttee is to make our present produc-
ton go farther. That means economy,
both in consumption and in distribu-
ton.
Besides urging every small consum-
err to economic in light and heat,
the committee has some suggestions to
make to merchants and manufactur-
ers. One considerable saving of coal
might be made by cutting out electri-
cal advertisements. How many tons
of coal does it take to keep the signs
along Broadway wiTfl1ing and flashing
all night? Figure out the candle
power of them, find out how many
candle-power there are in a ton of
coal, and you have the answer. We
leave it to you. But anyway the coal
that it takes to make the white way
white would probably run a munition
factory in Italy. The coal that it
takes to advertise one brand of cigar
cites already known to every smoker
in the world would keep a thousand
families warm for a winter. Here is
chance for some public spirited
! Il
movement by cutting out electrical ad-
vertisements.
Window displays brilliantly lighted
all night are another use of power at
which the committee looks askance.
Here, too, the leadership of some great
merchant might result in an immense
saving.
When it came to wasting coal, the
committee found that our own gov
eminent was one of the most munifi-
cent MASTERS in the country. For one
little example, government Indian
schools were burning anthracite coal
from Pennsylvania, at a tremendous
waste of transcontinental transporta-
ton. They are burning western BIZ
luminous coal now. The navy has al
ways insisted upon certain brands of
West Virginia coal, and has even had
them shipped across the continent. 1t
| is now being pointed out to the navy
about as well. There are probably
| some tucks to be taken in the gov
| eminent waste yet. For example, in
the big new building of the depart
ment of the interior, where presides
that genius of economy, Secretary
Lane, the halls, which are about a
mile and a half long blaze with light
half the night. One light in every
ten would be enough.
This committee is making it a prime
object to see that the manufacturers
| VINO are making munitions and other
/ necessaries of war, get all the coal
of these manufacturers, especially in
| they need at a reasonable rate. Some
of these manufacturers, especially in
| New England, face a pretty serious
situation. The big northern munition
factories used to get a large part of
their coal by boat from Norfolk. But
now good many boats are at the
bottom, and government regulations
compel them all to lay over in port
i at night, SO that it takes just about
twice as long to make a trip. Hence
the New England manufacturers are
almost entirely dependent upon rail-
roads for coal supply.
. Inc most important measure which
the committee is taking to make the
coal go around is to compel manu-
iacturers to use the supply nearest az
| - mas peen an hmm tense
waste in the shipping of special kinds
OIL coal long distances For example.
a Chicago manufacturer insists upon
having West Virginia coal He ad-
mlts that it costs him more, but ex-
plains that his fireboxes require the
| long flame of this coal, and that he
therefore gets more fuel value for MS
money than he can out of the Illinois
coal right at his door. So he depietes
the West Virginia supply, which
should normally flow to New Eng
land, and compels some New England
manufacturer to send clear to Arkan-
sas for his fuel. In this way our
scant supply of freight cars is engaged
in endless, unnecessary travelling for
lack of some central directing force.
That directing force the committee
will supply.