New-York tribune., 1918-02-26
Buy Next Years Coal
AS Soon as Possible,
Advises DIR. Garfield
TStuf Correspondence I

WASHINGTON, Feb. % Fuel Ad-
ministratcr Harry A. Garfield to-day
advised the public to purchase its nor
NAL supplies Of coal for the next year
just as soon as surplus domestic fuel
becomes available in the Eastern cities.
1t is probable that the fuel administra-
tion will! place the country on a fuel
card system about the first Of April.
This will! tend to check boarding by
both private and industrial consumers
and will further enable the government
to accumulate reliable data on listribu-
tion and consumption, it is stated.
While the fuel administration is not
making any promises of price rcduc-
t'ons to the consumer, it is known that
every effort is now being made to bring
this about. Dr. Garfield, soon after
taking charge of the fuel administra-
ton. advised the public to buy only
coal for immediate needs. Fuel prices
would be reduced, DR.. Garfield antici-
pated, about October l.
The failure of the fuel adminstra-
tion to realize this price reduction has
been a source of considerable embar-
rassment To complicate the situa-
ton further, it has been necessary to
increase the price of coal at the mine
IN numerous cases, the most recent
Pennsylvania. In the latter district
the price of coal at the mouth of the
mine was increased to $3.05, which is
tlve cents IN excess of the Original
Lane-Peabody agreement negotiate d
with the operators last June and later
repudiated by Secretary of War Baker
as "eXtortonate, unjust and oppres-
sive."
Now the only way to reduce prices,
the fuel administration believes, is to
simplify the distributive organization.
Steps in this direction have already
been taken, it being the plan now to
eliminate the jobber as far as is pract-
cable. This, it is ANTICIPATED, will save
the consumer the mddleman's commits
sion.
Retail Price May Be Cut
With complete data on domestic fuel
consumption. which is now being gath
cred, and with the zonal scheme of dis
tribution and the fuel card system COM
pleteIy in operation, next winters fuel
needs viii be met with much greater
dispatch and economy Of distributive
machinery than has been the case this
winter. This may mean further lower
ing OF prices to the consumer, it is
stated. Regarding further modification
of fuel prices at the mine, the fuel ad-
mlnistratlon stated to-day:
"The fuel administration believes
that it has devised speedy and accu-
rate method for using the cost infor-
melton which it has in hand, and that
it has worked out the Fundamental
principles which should guide it in
considering applications for modiica-
tions of coal prices.
''lt is the purpose of the fuel ad-
ministration TO announce decisions Oh
ali applications for price revisions
now before it, prior to April /, 1918,
and prior to that time. to make such
changes in the classification as seem
to be necessary in order to relieve un-
certainty on this score as far as pos
sible before the beginning OF the new
coal year.
"By this statement the fuel admin
istraton does not wish to be under
stood as stating that the examination
OF the prices now being made will com
plete its price work. On the contrary,
the administration will continue to
collect and study facts relating to the
cost of production of coal and the prices
at which it is sold. 1t will make such
further rcadjustments from time to
time as are necessary to keep the
prices on scale fair to the public,
fair to the coal industry and sufficient