The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-11

Overstepping priority orders established by the national fuel administrator and taking into his own hands the matter of supplying Alabama domes- tic consumers of coal with suf- ficient fuel, Governor Charles Henderson today gave instruc-I tions to certain Alabama oper- ators to divert their output ot 200 cars day to certain towns and cities in the state to meet the acute shortage, bordering on absolute famine.
 The decision was reached follow ing series of conferences with coal dealers, operators and other citizens of the state, eliminating in the meeting yesterday morning with the governor of representative of the Montgomery chamber of commerce, Montgomery county fuel administra- tor and others, at which time the critical situation was laid before the governor.
 ! tors, Governor Henderson gave his consent to the operators to use his telegram, ordering all coal from their ] mines, whesther under priority orders or not, diverted to exclusive use of Alabama consumers
 {! Alabama Fuel Administrator s. B. Kennedy, in conference with the gov-
 ernor worked out a plant whereby the state administrator should have complete charge of the Alabama sit nation and it was thought it's adop-
 tion would solve the problem. Con
 sent was not forthcoming from the
 national administrator and later the
 governor sent q personal appeal t1
 Dr. IT. A. Garfield, setting out the peculiar and acute situation in many
 Alabama communities. There was m reply to this telegram and the action of the governor in virtually assuming ] control of Alabama coal followed.
 Governor Henderson's ability to
 "buclS', the national fuel administra-
 tor rests to a great extent on the use of convicts of the state in coal mines ! With labor being supplied by the state to mine coal, leverage Was given, if any was necessary. to give ] authority to whatever orders the ex' : ecutive may order. This is especially f true as a result of the scarcity or Ia
 Dor, it is pointed out
 Mines employing state convict labol : and not able to furnish their full ' quota and who may persist in filling priority orders under such regulations
 as the governor may see fit to pro
 vide, will be shut off from their sup
 ply of such state labor and the labo : placed with operators willing to carr. : out the plans of the executive to sup I ply Alabama first.
 -l Communicating the mines of Ala v bama to relieve intense suffering pc | cause of the coal famine, while thou : sands of tons were being shipped ou of the state under government prior lity orders, resembles in many re :. spects the defiance of Gov. James M 7 Cox of ohio. and disregard for na Y tional regulations, when the peopl
 of Ohio sent up a fruitless appeal fo | aid. In Ohio under the "Cox plan" tn , cars of coal were confiscated, whil under the "IIenderson plan the mine themselves have been ordered to dis regard national orders and obey ln
 structions sent out by the state MESSAGE TO GARFIELD
 Washington, January lo-tSpeciai l Governor Henderson has thrown th l weight of his office and influence int , the fight .si Alabama for relief from eos famine Unlike Governor Cox of Ohi'
 he does not threaten to seize Alabam . production ordered by the governmer
 routed to other states. but he does ir
 sist that Alabama be allotted definit : portion of it's products and that the di' < tribution of that portion be put in chars F of the state fuel administrators
 He declares such action would mitiga . intense suffering in practically every set
 ton of the state.
 e He wired II. A. Garfield national flu
 administrator, as follows: Please del' y gate to Alabama fuel administrators fu
 authority to distribute Alabama fu Q apportionment. It appears too great [. percentage is shipped out of state und'
 Washington orders. This suggestie il would ohviate great suffering in All 2. l bama."