Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-29
VIRGINIA PLANTS
SHORT OF COAL
Administrator Byrd Asks Au-
thorities at Washington for
Immediate Relief.
RULE ENCOURAGES HOARDlNG
Tobacco Factories May Close
Down Unless Ruling Is
Promptly Modified.
RULE ENCOURAGES HoARDlNG

featuring plants no, included in the
preferential list recently compiled by
the War Industries Board and released
to mine operators las. Friday might
not suffer from lack OF fuel, which
would force them probably to close
down. Harry Flood Byrd. Federal fuel
administrator for Virginia, yesterday
recommended to Fuel Administrator
Garfield that some provision be made
to keep the preferred ones from stock
ing up and leaving those not in this
class with little chance to obtain coal
needed by them.
Mr.. Byrd also called attention to the
two sources of requisitionins on the
New River and Pocahontas coal fields
Virginia's principal dependency for
fuel-one to Tidewater for bunkerins
purposes and the other to industries
i'll the preferential Iist-and that the
double drain on the resources of the
mines would leave scarcely any fuel
to the nonpreferred industries. He
also said that the 100 per cent order
was giving them too wide a loophole
to eagerly seize the opportunity to
hoard fuel. while others needing 1t just
as bad could not secure needed coal.
N1RGISIA'S TOBACCO FACTORIES
T..
Many OF the excluded plants have
been making efforts since the order
became effective to get on the prefer
entail list. among them being the
tobacco works. glass and stove works,
cedar works and others. The tobacco
plants OF Virginia alone employ more
than 10000 operatives. and these will
be thrown out of employment, Mr.. Byrd
predicts. unless immediate action is
taken TO enable these concerns TO get
| fuel. Toward this endeavor Mr.. Byrd
and Senator Thomas :. Martin will go
before the War Industries Board at
Washington Friday and ask that the
tobacco companies be placed on the
list OF preferential industries
The text of MIR. Byrds letter to Fuel
Administrator Garfield is as follows:
You have directed producers to ship
100 per cent TO all Industries on the
preferred list recently adopted by the
| war Industries Board. This means
mat operators must ship on orders
received from retailers and preferred
| industries In full before other indus
tries and users be supplied No
provision has been made TO prevent
preferred industries from boarding an
unduly accumulating stock The resul,
4
preferred industries and retailers is
limited. viii! inevitably deny. at least
| temporarily. shipments TO nonpreferred
| users.
l suggest that all preferred indus
tries be at once CLASSIFIED as to con-
SUMPTION, and that shipments to mines
| De limited. thus preventing the ac-
cumulation of coal by such industries
| except in an orderly and regular man.
ner' SO as to disorEanize as little as
possible the usual machinery of dis
| tr!bution.
PRESENT REGULATIONS ARE
PREJCDICIAL TO THIS SECTION
Il further call your attention to the
fact that this order will be prejudicial
| TO Virginia because the New River and
| Pocahontas fields. our chief sources of
supply. have been heavily requisitioned
Tor governmental purposes. thus reduc-
Ing the supply 10 be shipped to pre-
! Ierred industries and prohibiting any
| shipments to the nonpreferred indus
tries. other sections supplied by coal
nelds on which the government has not
made such heavy acquisitions will be
| able to ship the allotment of the pre-
ferred industries and probably also
ship the nonpreferred. which will re-
suit in an inequitable distribution az
between different sections.
/ appeal TO you for relief for Vir-
S'nia. as under present conditions the
preference order as given by YOU will
result in the absolute prohibition of
shipments to all industries not in
cluded In the preferred list. / think II
extremely important that the preferred
industries be prevented from accumu-
l mr.
and only then permit the accumulation
IN an orderly and regular manner"
the list Of preferred industries re.
Gently amended by the war industries
board was sent to the mines for indefi-
mite operation by Fuel Administrator
| GARFIELD last Friday. 1t includes those
whose operation is Of exceptional i'm
portance. measured by the extent Of
their direct or indirect contribution to-
ward winning the war, or toward pro
noting the national welfare. Not only
are they given preferential treatment
oy the fuel administration, but also in
transportation by the railroads. How
| ever. IT Is against the unrestricted or
| der enabling them TO secure 100 Der
cent OF shipments ordered and the un-
usual opportunity to hoard fuel, that
Mr.. Byrd is appealing for relief.
MANY INDUSTRIES ARE
CONTAINED IN PREFIRRED LIST
The following is the list Of preferred
| Industries:
Aircraft-Plapts engaged exclusively
In manufacturing aircraft or supplies
and equipment therefor. Ammunition
PLANTS engaged in the manufacture
OF ammunition for the United States
government and the allies. Army and
navy cantonments and camps. Arms
(smalD-Plants engaged In manufac-
turing small arms for the United
States government and the allies.
Chemicals-Plants engaged exclu-
sively in the manufacture of chemicals:
coke plants: domestic consumers: elec.
trical equipment.
/ Plants manufacturing electrical
Continued on Third Page) D.