New-York tribune., 1918-02-21
Army, Navy, Ship and
Fuel Chiefs to Curb
Non-Essentials
Will Release Labor
For Necessary Work
Classification
Places Food Indus
tries First

WASHINGTON, Feb. ooA new
classification OF fuel needs, which
eventually will operate to curtail non.
essential industries, is now being
formulated by representatives of the
War and Navy Departments, the Ship
ping Board and the fuel administra-
tion, according to an announcement
made to-day by DR.. Harry A. Garfield
il The new preferential classification
Will take precedence over the list of
preferred consumers appended to the
.artailment order issued by the fuel
administration on January II. 1t will
vary from this classification only in
-obeing moro complete and in appraising
fuel needs according to revisions of
supply requirements prepared by the
several departments of the govern
ment.
The new classification will include
four main divisions, as follows:
l.--Fuel needs of food Industries,
railroads, domestic consumers and
public utilities.
D. Shipbuilding and other in
dustries engaged in the manufacture
o. essential equipment. such as farm
implements, mining and oil drilling
machinery and munitions.
3.-Industrial plants manufacture
ing peace-time necessities.
4.-1ndustrial plants manufacture
ing luxury products.
Coal will be distributed to consum
ers in the order of their classification
in the foregoing divisions, it wa.
stated by the fuel administration. There
Will be further preferences arranged
S+hin the divisions to meet the chang
g needs of the supply department.
the army and navy. This will be
'p rticularly the case in the second di
Y sion of the fuel need classification
it was stated
Already there is practical over-pro-
auction of munitions of certain kinds
ii was said, and to permit industrial
plants 20 continue unabated the high
pressure manufacture of these ma.
terials. which has been in progress the
last several months, would be useless,
II was pointed out, for there is no
tonnage to move the materials over
seas
IN consequence, it is considered prob
aoie that IN conserving fuel and in
speeding up shipbuilding certain indus
trles ordinarily classified as essential
VIII be virtually closed down. These
suspensions and the other curtail-
naents to be eected under the new
e1lass'ncatlon of fuel needs will enable
.he government. 1T is stated, to divert
y IL
a oo'n iue! ana LABOR to other more nee
essary consumption channels.
.. ohe OF tne tirst curtailments under
~ me new Tuel need classification will be-
the, glass industry. il was said at The he
1aei administration to-day, Arranpe
ments already have been consummated
YIN the entire glass industry of tnn
e. :. htry TO reduce its fuel consumption
-. per cent during the next year. This
~ ~ Ian cement has been antedated 40
l917. '"'o'iSe september /,
s.;I -. uiseriDutlon plan. DR.. Garfield
saiu tonight. will prevent a. recurrence
SEA a., year OF this winters coal SHORTAGE
!ne iuei administration takes the
position, he said, chat no fuel must
"e uscd to manufacture any greater
Iua lolty OF finished products than will
~. 'teued this year, that factories can
-, permitted Iuel, TRANSPORTATION
enu labor to manufacture a surplus of
gear. 'p 0"'e next
Carrying on Conferences
The fuel administration is carrvinc
on t. series of conferences coverin@ a Il
end f strles which use large quantities. Of
auei with view TO learning the re-
~ ,yllf efnents of each line during 1918
ahe industries themselves are plavinD
y 'd'ng part in these discussions
he ann is 20 arrive at nercen+-
ae' OF production which, in the civ
.u' stances, VIII be satisfactory to tho
& ."' uiacturers and their workmen bu,
N VIII not represent a consumn-
- of fuel for the manufacfura pf
= pies not needed during the cur-
? It year wi
1T is through this system OF scion
"1c limitation. together with lar~e
economy IN the methods of using fuel
aat the fuel administration eSnects
supplement the production of coal
IS year. II is hoped. as the rai1.
; ads strengthen their facilities. that
] will be possible to mine and trans
p I a larger quantity of coal this
y than last. but it is through
II methods of reducing consump.
Ii that repetition OF this years
ortage is TO be absolutely pre-
We cd