The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-24
FUEL ADMINISTRATION

L the advice of the government, would have il"
This statement often heard The inference is that dsobedi
to the government rule would have been wise.
Probably not 1t hard to get coal for everybody and
for every But, with hardshps, and anxiety
most essential things kept gong and most householders
keep fire.
would be greater Pooling would probably be necessary
and those who stocked would have done in the common
because his surplus would have to be taken for dstr
button.
Some concerns the American Brass Company, and the
Bridgeport Brass Company have accumulated large stocks over
and above their immediate needs The American Brass already
supplied deficiencies several quarters The Bridgeport
Brass supply available if the need becomes great enough
These merely examples
But the need will become very very great before
deerng will be resorted to- Taking by seizure is irritating and
unpleasant and Americans like to avoid it.
The fuel administration speaking of the Bridgeport office
many problems The bakers ask for coal keep their
going theatres want supplies for their furnaces The
ministers wish open the churches for certain services There
who wish to close the Schools and others who wish
to keep them open.
On the men directly in charge of the falls the duty
of making decisions. It will follow that few permanent deci
sions can What be done will depend upon the
coal on hand sight and the coal in the possession of
the various groups that need it.
No citizen and newspaper is at any moment IN posses
of the upon which to form sound judgments regard
ing what is best to be done.
This why most of the criticism directed at Mr. siemon
the fuel administrator for Bridgeport has been UNJUST based
irritation instead of on knowledge. !
There the matter of closing the schools? Private homes
need coal. What would do Mr. home owner? Would
close the schools keep them open? The schools have
land about three weeks supply By the end of three weeks
probably sooner the situation will be improved? Would
the schools to obtain coal for homes? Well and good
the by the schools is the largest sort of furnace
COAL and would not burn at all in the stoves in the ordinary
private home.
Also it is likely that keeping the schools open absolutely
saves fuel During the hours the children in school hun
ded and thousands of homes less fuel than when
the children at home.
To be considered the economic loss that would follow
upon the suspension the delayed
of twenty thousand children.
1t seems to the fuel administration and it to The
to be kept going
The theatres constitute another problem The assembage
Of many people in these places probably repre-
sens saving fuel the quantity burned in homes being
spondingly lessened
The psychological element to be considered The people
are stimulated by the assembling together under
the conditions.
The churches if they permitted to open, under cir
cumances that would give them full audtoums would prob
ably bring saving of fu ell family that going to
home for hours will usually shut down the fire.
fires Two three hundred thousand persons warmed in
auditorium will probably coal at home than they
abroad
thing that must be done, the government has de-
cared keep the homes Next the food establish
men must operated and other things the situation per-
mits
merely few of many considerations with which
commissioner must deal The facts given to show
public the necessity for support and cooperation
Vexaton and criticism will get us nowhere Help from
everybody may solve the problem.