The Prescott daily news., 1918-05-22
Consumers Can Help Prevent Shortage Next Winter by
 Buying Now, Says Fuel '7 Administrator.
GARFIELD SOUNDS WARNING.
Better Borrow Money Now to Buy Than Do Without Later, He Says-If Your Storage Space Isn't Large
 Enough, Enlarge 1t.
By HARRY A. GARFIELD, United States Fuel Administrator


 Every householder, every public util- ity and every industrial user of coal engaged In work essential to the prose- cutlon of the war are earnestly ad- vised and urged to place without de- lay their orders for coal to cover their needs for the 12 months beginning April i.
 During the past 12 months there has been suffering among consumers and curtailment of essential production by industries through inability to obtain necessary fuel after the beginning of winter. A year ago consumers were led to believe that they might safely withhold their orders until later in the year. They labored under the impress sion that coal could be bought and se- cured as well at one time as another. They were told that there was plenty of coal for everybody and that there would be plenty of coal cars to move the coal In also.
 This advice and it's acceptance by consumers was one of the contributing causes to the coal shortage, with Its consequent suffering among domestic consumers and lessening in production of commodities needed in our war ac- tivities.
 The Fuel Administration was not then in existence and did not begin its work until August 23. It was then all ready too late to undo the harm which had been done. The Fuel Admlnistra- ton would be negligent of its duty to the public if 1t failed to call attention at this time to the unfortunate results of the mistaken course pursued by the public year ago and to warn all con sumers in the most emphatic manner possible that a repetition of those re- suits can be avoided only by accepting and acting immediately upon the Fuel Administration advice, here given:
 Oroer Your Coal at Once.
 Let every consumer of the classes mentioned ascertain his fuel require ments for the coming year. Do this at once. Order sufficient coal to meet those requirements. Place your orders at once. If domestic consumers have not sufficient storage space for the coal they will need they should en- large their bins. If public utilities and Industries engaged upon government work have not sufficient storage space they should at once provide It.
 The production of coal in this coun- try is fundamentally transportation problem. There are enough coal cars and enough locomotives to transport the necessary quantity of coal, only if every car and every locomotive is used to its maximum capacity every day in the year. There are enough operatives in the mines to get the coal from the ground If those operatives can work every day in the year and if the coal cars and locomotives are available every day.
 The fuel problem Is to get the coal from the first place of deposit to the final place of deposit with as little de- lay as possible and in as steady and continuous stream as circumstances will permit. The railroads may he compared to water pipe, which needs to run full all the time to carry the necessary amount of water to its des- tination. If that water is shut off for any appreciable time 1t means an ulti- mate shortage. The pipe can carry no more than its maximum capacity per day
 Borrow, h You Must.
 inconvenience of paying for coal in the spring or summer when 1t will not be needed until autumn or winter should not influence any consumer to delay placing his order and securing his supply. It is far wiser to borrow money in the spring to pay for ones coal than to wait until autumn or winter, when if the coal has not been mined sRd shipped money cannot pro- cure 1t.
 The Fvsl Administration, through the State Fuel Administrators and lo- cal committees, is prepared in every reasonable way to aid public utilities. essential industries rutail dealers and domestic consumers iH placing their orders~end in securing assurance of a sufficient supply of fuel, All these governmental agencies. however. are