Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-17

that they have made with consumers.
even at prices higher than the prices
fixed by the president. am looking
into those contracts now, but my pres.
ent impression is that producers Will
not be liable to damage for failure to
fulfill contracts 1t is simply q case
of the government taking the coal for
the welfare Of the nation and the pro-
Queer Is no more liable than he would
be IL physically unable to turn out the
coal Government reQuisition Is In the
same class as an act Of God. the In
tervention OF which absolves party
from carrying out contract.
II do not think there will be any
trouble in requisitioning the amount OF
coal needed. It Is essential to the well
fare of the country and the effective
prosecution of the war. Coal producers
periodically will uphold the govern
ment and obey the reauisition. Con-
sumers periodically will uphold tho
government and accept a scaling down
of their contracts.
States to Make 0ratA
II have talked the matter over win
a number Of large coal producers, and
7 am satisfied that the plan will work
be nothing to prevent a producer taxi
ing from a single contract consumer
the entire amount requisitioned. but I
do not think this will happen. The
operators tell me that II 1t Is necessary
to scale down contracts, in order to
furnish the full amount requisittoned
by the government. they will scale
down all contracts approximately In
the same proportion after making al-
lowance for potent considerations, such.
for example, as the fact that factory
milking ordnance or other munitions
Of war should not be crippled by the
scaling down process
When / have my pile Of spot coal
requisitioned from the 5000 companies
I shall begin the distribution. The ma
tional fuel administrator is a sort OF
banker. He will receive deposits OF
coal, which he will pay out to those
entitled to It He win keep ledger
account with the states and honor their
drafts for coal to the extent their ac.
tual needs require.
Wants No Dealers on Local Boards.
IT know how much coal each state
consumed in 1915, and how much was
shipped into each state that year. That
shall assume to represent approx
mately the needs Of the state this year,
altho the exact amount will be changed
by existing conditions, such as the in
crease OF manufacturing as result OF
the war But roughly I shall be able
to start the ledger account of each
state with the amount Of coal it needs
and the amount of coal it has obtained
up to date since the beginning OF the
coal year. Whether the coal year will
begin with July / last or with Oct. !
next Will depend upon my ability to OBJ
tain accurate figures on the supply in
each state since last July. II these
figures are not obtainable, I shall start
the coal year with Oct. /. after which
an accurate account can be kept.
About Oct /, the state fuel admin
istrators will be appointed by the presi-
dent. These administrators will not be
coal men, but men with a knowledge Of
coal and Industrial conditions. The
state administrator will appoint local
committees In each county and munich
pality Of 100000 or more population.
The members OF these committees will
not be coal men, but responsible indi-
viduals who can be relied upon to as
certain local coal needs and distribute
justly the coal obtained for them by
the government. We do not want the
organization to be tainted by the influ-
ence Of men financially interested in
the coal business
Distribution Under Federal Control.
The local committee will ascertain
local coal needs. 1t will find. for ex-
ample, that this and that factory will
be compelled to shut down unless it re-
ceives SO much coal for the next month.
All the local committees win report
the needs to the state administrator.
The national fuel administrator will
look up the coal account OF the state
and If there is a balance in favor OF
the state-if the state has not received
the full amount Of coal apportioned to
1.-THE application Of the state admin
istrator for the amount to supply local
needs will be honored.
"At this point some outside machin-
cry comes into operation. The coal will
have to be supplied to the localities as
quickly as possible. The national fuel
administrator. working in conjunction
with Judge Lovett OF the priority ship
ment board. will be able to obtain pre-
ferential transportation by the shortests
and quickest rail route directly from
the nearest mine to the locality. Water
transportation will be arranged thru
Chairman Hurley of the shipping board
and sufficient supply OF cars will be
arranged thru Commissioner Clark Of
the interstate commerce commission.
I'VE believe that this machinery Of
requisition and distribution will attain
a fair apportionment Of the supply Of
coal to meet local needs"