Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-02-21
Requirements of Consumers
Whose Needs Are Consider
ed Necessary to Win the
War Get First Consideration
MAKERS OF LUXURIES
COME LAST ON LIST
Rule Is to Be Enforced by Or
ders Issued to Operators to
Make Sales According to
the Classification.
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lsf MORNING. JouRNAL SPECIAL LEASED WaHgl
Washington, Feb. 20.-A direct
method of preferential coal distribu-
ton to supply first the requirements
of consumers whose needs are con-
sidered necessary in winning the war
and to curtail consumption by the less
essential industries, will be instituted
soon by the fuel administration.
The program, outlined tonight by
Fuel Administrator Garfield, calls for
division of all consumers into four
classes and for the creation of a pref
erentiaI board representing the fuel
administration, the army and navy
and the shipping board to pass on the
Importance of consumers needs.
Glass 1 Gets Coal First.
Class l, which would get coal firsa
would include consumers put in a
preferential list in the fuel admins
tration's closing order of January II.
This list still is receiving preferential
treatment, but there has been no
classification Of other consumers. 1t
includes households, ships, railroads,
public utilities and public institutions.
Class would include necessary war
industries; Glass necessary peace in
dustries, and Glass the so-called
makers of luxufies.
There would be no attempt at es-
tablishing preferences within any OF
the classifications and the duty of
the preferential board would be to
decide between consumers of a given
class.
Preferential distribution would be
enforced by orders to operators to
supply consumers according to cIassi
fication and by cooperative measures
on the part OF the railroad admins
tration.
Many industries in Glass 2 would
fall also into Glass 8, since a great
number Of factories are working both
on war orders and on contracts for
the general public. The preferential
board would decide how they should
use fuel allotted to them and how
much fuel they should be permitted to
have,
On Strictly War Basis.
The plan furnishes the first definite
moye to put American industry on a
strictly war basis.
The question of restricting the op-
erations OF the less essential industries
has bothered government officials
since the outbreak of the war, bu.
thus far the problem has not beef,
dealt with directly.
The purpose of the new plan will
be, it was explained tonight, to dis.
turb the industrial fabric as little as
possible, and many of the industries
engaged in producing materials not
considered essential will be converted
into munitions plants.
Taking the glass industry as an ex-
ample, DR.. Garfield said that there
has been large over-production OF
glassware. The aim will be to restrict
the manufacture Of glasA strictly to.
the forms that are essential. Many
articles, such as vases, will not be
manufactured after the program is in
force.
Most OF the industries whose prod
ucts are not regarded as essential to
prosecution Of the war already have
agreed to voluntary curtailment Of
their coal consumption and 1t is plan
ned to work in cooperation with
them and to prevent hardships ana.
unfair discrimination.
The preferential board will be
chosen by the heads Of the four de-
partments. Neither the food nor the
railroad administration for the time
being will be represented, but both
will assist in operation of the pro-
gram