The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-03-09
u. 5. CUTS COAL
PRICE 80 CENTS
To Be Effective From April |
to September |.
PENALTIES FOR BOARDING

Consumers Must State Their Needs
on Cards, and Will Be Fined For
False Statement-Fuel Will Be
Plentiful.
Washington, March Negotiations
for the retail distribution of coal for
the year beginning April 1 were an
nounced by the United States fuel adj
ministTation
Coal will be thirty cents ton
cheaper rom April l until September
l. the fuel administrator adopting a
different scale from the old one,
which provided a sliding figure of so,
40. 80, 90 and 10 cents per ton less
for the months of April. May, June,
July and August
Prices will run generally from So
to s10aa ton, according to the locality
and the transportation difficulties to
he met.
Fv ry consumer is assured of suf-
fcient supply for his next winters
needs at stated prices for every Sec
ton Of the country.
Penalties are provided against
boarding and against false statements
of requirements.
Certificates and card systems will
be put into operation. Relatives and
consumers will be required to specify
the cCAl on hand, their normal con-
sumption and their needs. There can
no Of No
Definite instructions will follow,
probably within a few days, to each
state administrator and through him
to each community, to make public
announcement of the prices that the
consumers must pay for their coal.
As announced exclusively in these
dispatches, two weeks ago, there will
be stabilized prices in each city and
community: persons in one section CT
a city cannot be charged more than
those in another.
The consuming public-the man
who has no time to make specific in
curry as to what coal should cost
will have figures before him that the
retailers must observe. The retailers
can charge only one price, which must
include delivery. Strict injunction
will go to every administration to en-
force the new regulations to the let
ter.
DR.. H. A. Garfield, the fuel admins
traitor, discussing the price reduction.
made this explanation:
at is important to note tnat IN Or
der to encourage early buying, re-
duction will be made in the cost OF
anthracite beginning April 1. 1t is
felt that this reduction will be fairer
to the public. inasmuch as coal is ex-
pected to ordered in April in such
quantities that it will prove impos-
sible to make all deliveries during
that month or for some time there
after. Under a sliding scale of re-
auctions it whould be difficult, If not
impossible, to treat all consumers
equally. even though their orders had
been filed upon the same date, while
with an average reduction extending
over the entire period, all consumers
are treated alike"
AS a check on circumstances who
might attempt to obtain more than
their normal requirements Of coal, the
retail plan includes a system OF re-
ports on delivering in excess of the
normal requirements of the consumer.
False certification of a consumers
needs or of dealers needs makes the
offender subjected to a fine Of $4,000
or two years Imprisonment.
Although no reduction inthe retail
price of bituminous coal to consumers
was made, the fuel administration be-
gan announcement of revised prices
for such coal at the mines, the first
made public showing sharp reductions
In Colorado, Utah, wyoming and Mon
tana. Prices for Iowa are almost COM
pleted, and those for other states will
be announced as soon as determined.
The idea is for a general revision be
fore the beginning of the coal year
m AnriI