The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-26
COAL SHORTAGE
IS PREDICTED
Warming Sounded as to Future
Unless Some Change Is
Made in Fuel
Situation.
RECOMMEN NDATIONS
Price Should Be Fixed Now so That
Dealers Can Make Contracts
for Next
Winter.
RECOMME ENDATIONS

L coo AOoHCo "AAS wa '~~S>1
WASHINGTON, Feb, 26.-Predict-
ing a coal shortage of the most d1sas-
trous character in the near future,
unless the fuel administration ceases
Experimentation and guess work,
Senator Reed today submitted to the
fuel-food investigating committee a
statement of facts developed at the
recent inquiry into the coal situation
Amidst the chaos now existing In
the coal business from the mine to
the retail yard, one fact indisputably
appears, namely, that uncertainty
must at once give way to stability.
or we will in the near future be con-
fronted by coal shortage of the
most disastrous character" Reed de-
clared.
Reed submitted the following
recommendations to avert this situ-
alton:
Finding of governmental inter
ference with the coal business.
Immediate announcement OF
prices which will prevail after April
/, 30 that dealers may make con-
tracts.
3-Giving Of information to con-
sumers 80 they will know that coal
will be available and at what prices-
Reed sharply criticized the hand
ling of the coal situation by the fuel
administration. Quoting nbera1ly
from the testimony at the hearing he
showed that coal production for 1917
exceed that for 1916 by sixteen per-
cent for anthracite and by eight per-
cent for bituminous.
At the same time coal shipped
abroad, including that for bunkering
ships sailing from American ports.
was less than that. used In 1916 by
more than 100000 tons.
That a serious coal famine occur
red, Reed declares, is due to the fol-
lowing causes:
1-Repudiation of the prices fixed
last summer by the Lane committee.
2-The lapse Of sixty days between
reputation of the Lane price and
the fixing of new prices by the fed
eral trade commission
3-Constant assurances given the
public of an abundant supply OF coal
together with advice not to buy at
current prices.
An unwise multiplicity Of prior
ity orders.
-Forcing Of coal into the north
west while needs Of middle west and
eastern states were ignored.
Reed reviewed the work of Secre-
tary of the Interior Lane and F. 5.
Peabody last June in fixing coa'
prices. the Reputation of these prices
later by Secretary Of War Baker and
the disastrous effect on the conf
dence and the business Of many coal
dealers.
Then he quoted at length the con-
flicting statements made from time
to time regarding the threatened coal
shortage.
Goal dealers who anticipated a
GOAL shortage and stated the real
facts we're severely criticized by the
federal trade commission, II, indeed,
they we're not blacklisted," said Reed.
F1lel Administrator Garfield and
Secretary Baker were criticized for
telling the public not to buy when
coal was plentiful and cheap.
Coming to the sending OF coal to
the northwest through lake ports,
Reed said:
"If one tenth of the energy expend-
cd in getting coal to Canada and the
northwest had been expended in de-
liyering bunker coal, no ship would
have been obliged to remain in port
an hour because of the lack Of fuel
He pointed out that though the
northwest Is chiefly agricultural, the
coal was shipped through Ohio, a
great manufacturing state, when
coal shortage existed and forced in
to the northwest.
This Ohio famine, Reed said, was
repeated all through the east and
New England where people had been
told that though the coal was being
rushed to the northwest, they would
get plenty later on
Criticizing the Garfield closing
order, Reed said that the chief reas-
on assigned for it was to get bunker
coal to free ships tied up in ports for
lack of fuel.
"The terrible burden imposed on
the country because Of the failure to
furnish bunker coal calculated by the
cost Of the remedy applied, is ap-
palling," said Reed. Declaring the