Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-06-22
FUEL should BE
Stored right NOW
War Demands 100000
Tons More Coal Than
Ever Used Before Accord
ing to Statement Of Fuel
Administrator.


United States Fuel Administration
We know the worst Of bad situation.
A detailed survey OF the coal required
during the present coal year for war
purposes, to keep our Industries run
ming, and for domestic consumers,
foots up about eighty million tons
more than was produced last year
This 10 the figure ON June l.
As our part In the great war in
creases, we are confronted, from
month to month, with unexpected
additions to former estimates OF fuel
requirements and to greater demands
on the man-power OF the country, so
that those responsible for the con-
servation of fuel do not feel safe In
assuming that the increased demand
will be only eighty million tons, nor
In assuming that IL will be possible
to obtain from increased production
more than One-half of the deficiency.
Conservation must provide for unex-
pected contingencies affecting both
figures OF production and of consum-
ption.
One has only to remember that the
production of coal last season was
fafty million toms greater than ever
before In the history of the country
and to reflect on the enormous added
burden the war has put on our trans
portation system, as well as the man
power which Ia necessary to produce
and distribute coal, to understand
that the fuel supply Tor this year Is
one OF the most difficult and threat
eniug problems the war has pre-
sentsd.
1t Ia estimated that the industries
not employed on war work will re-
Qnire less than 100, 100000 tons OF
coal. All consumers of coal, war In
dustries and otherwise, must parti-
cipate In the saving campaign but
non-war Industries are especially
interested because whatever the de-
flciency turns out 10 be, 1t will come
out OF their quota. Hence, the gen.
sras prosperity of our industries and
the full employment OF labor will de-
pend upon saving. economies and pre-
vention Of waste, between $4,000, 900
and s0,000.000 tons of coal.
In spite Of intense efforts to In
crease the production OF coal, the
arst five months of 1918 have pro-
ducsd only ten million tons In excess
OF the same period of 1917. II this
10 considered In relation to the i'm
menae physical task involved In pro-
ducing twelve million tons OF coal
per week. 1t is easy to draw the con-
clusion that this increased demand
Of one hundred million tons cannot,
to any large extent be met by In
creased production.
And yet an actual deficit OF half
u million tons would mean personal
privation and an industrial disaster
which no one can contemplate with
equanimity.
What 10 the answer? There is
only one; 1t Is saving coal. It ia
the answer Europe has made In
similar situation--saving coal In
every possible way and by all the
people. II we agree to avert the
privations and disaster attendant up
on shortage of coal much greater
than last year, the most intensive
measures Of fuel economy must be
carried into every activity of In
dustrial and domestic life, and the
cooperation of every man and wo-
man In the country must be one hun
bred per cent.
The Fuel Administration has for
seen the situation represented by
these figures, and through Its Con-
servation Division, has organized
fuel saving campaigns reaching out
into every department Of our nation
al life where fuel Is consumed.
Every American citizen will be
asked to clean his furnace keep 1t In |
repair and study economical firing. |
Instructions prepared by the highest |
authority will be furnished by the
Fuel Administration.
IL every one joins in this move
ment. from the owner of an indus
trial plant to the householder with |
his furnace and cookstove, if houses
are not overheated, the furnace
hampers properly adjusted and the
ashes sifted, II will be possible to
save from fifty to seventy-fve million
tons OF coal without serious incon-
veinience to the American people.
A saving Of sixty million tons of
coal ia the one possible avenue of
sacape from national disaster. Neces-
sities Of war must be supplied. The
coal defcit must inevitably come out
of the necessary fuel for non-war In
dustries. These industries employ
Of cur population and fur