The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-21
INDUSTRIES Upon
STRICT WAR BASIS
DIR. Garfield Prepares a
Method of Preferential
Coal Distribution
CURTAILMENT OF
LESS ESSENTIALS
Purpose TO Save Coal with Minimum
Disturbance TO Business Luxury -
Plants May Be Utilized for Manu-
featuring Munitions.

WASHINGTON. Feb. FLA direct
method of preferential coal distribu-
ton 10 supply first the requirements
Of consumers whose needs are consid.
cred necessary in winning the war, and
To eurtail consumption by the less es-
sential industries, will be instituted
soon by the fuel administration.
The program outlined last night by
Fuel Administrator Garfield calls for
division of all consumers into four
classes, and for the creation of pref.
crcntial board, representing the fuel
administration, the army and navy, and
the shipping board, to pass on the i'm.
portauce of consumers needs
Class /, which would get coal first,
as contemplated by DR. Garfield, would
include consumers put in prcfercn-
tial list i'm the fuel administration $
closing order of Jan. II. This list
still is receiving preferential treat
mont but there has been NO classified
ton of other consumers, II includes
households. ships, railroads, public utii-
tiles and public institutions
Class > would include necessary war
industries; class %. necessary peace in
dustrics, and class {, the so-called MAX.
or 81 Injuries.
There would be- no attempt at es-
t0blishing preference within any Of the
classihcatious aud the duty of the pref
crcutial board would bo To decide be
tween consumers OF q given class.
Preferential distribution would be
enforced by Orders 20 operators 10 sup
ply consumers according to classified.
ton and by cooperative measures on
the part of the railroad administration
which would assist by cmbargoes.
Many industries in class would fall
also I'm class 8, since q great number of
factories arc working both ON war or.
dcr8 and ON contracts for the general
public. The preferential board would
decide how they should use fuel allot-
ted 20 them and how much fuel they
should he permitted td5nAaUl1n oil
The plan furnishes the first definite
move 20 put American industry on n
strictly war basis The question of re-
strieting the operations of the less cs.
scutial industries has bothered govern
ncnt officials since the outbreak of the
year, bat thus far the problem has nor
been dealt with directly.
The purpose Of the new plan will
be-, IL was explained last night, to
disturb the industrial fabric as little
as possible aud many of the indus.
tries engaged in producing material.
not considered essential will be con.
ycrtcd into munition plants
Taking the glass industry as an ex.
ample, Or. Garfield said that there has
been n large oyCrproductiou of glass.
ware. The aim will bc 10 restrict the
manufacture OF glass strictly to the
forms that are essential Many ar.
ticlcs, such ~ vases, will not be manu-
featured after the program is in force
Other industries viii be treated in a
similar fashion.
Most of the industries whose prod
uets are not regarded az essential Ia
prosecution of the war already have
agreed to a voluntary curtailment OF
their coal consumption, and it i.
planned 10 work in cooperation will
them and TO prevent hardships and IN,
fair discrimination.
The preferential board will be chose,