Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-06
Plan Cooperative Distribu-
ton Following Warning of
Administrator Weaver.
EXCHANGE OF EQUIPMENT
TO SPEED D. C. DELIVERY
Dealers Ask Part of Administration
Supply to Aid Work on Emer.
gency Orders.


committee appointed at Friday nights
meeting. have formulated plan for
the co-ordinating and pooling of
stocks. equipments and organizations"
demanded by John L. Weaver. federal
fuel administrator for the District OF
Columbia. under the threat that unless
such a plan was formulated the gove-
ernment would take over the National
Capitals coal distributing business.
Finishing touches will be put TO the
plan at a meeting of the committee
called for II o'clock this morning. When
all details are worked out the pro-
gram will be reduced to writing and
submitted to Mr. Weaver at the earliest
possible hour. The dealers want Mr..
Weaver to have time to study and d-
gest their proposal. so he will be pre-
pared to pass judgment upon it at
the meeting of dealers with the fuel
administrator called for Monday even-
ing. which marks the time limit set
in Administrator weaver's ultimatum
"Unreserved compliances with the
fuel administrators demands are what
the coal dealers say they have sought
to accomplish. 1t will put an end to the
fuel famine and meet every require
ment, they insist. provided the national
fuel administration gets coal into
Washington in sufficient quantities.
To Exchange Equipment.
The program as agreed upon is built
around a plan for a general exchange
ganization. to represent every coal
dealer in the city, big and little, is to
have headquarters in the rooms of the
Coal Merchants Association at 1413 G
ef- AAt NJ II 1foIx 60,
terday and accepted. A clerical force
will be maintained there under direc-
ton of Johnston R. Zimmerman, sec
retary Of the association. who Is act-
ers' emergency eommiftAe. -
Every dealer In the city will be re-
Quired to make daily report to this
headquarters of the condition of his
hand. the hauling equipment he has idle
or the need OF hauling beyond the ca
pacity Of his own equipment. II one
dealer has teams idle they will be sent
has coal and orders beyond his capac-
ity to make deliveries.
The committee will ask that distribu-
ton of coal as it arrives in Washing
ton be placed largely in the hands of
the organization the dealers are to set
up. 1t is desired that at least a part of
the emergency" coal coming here as
signed to the fuel administrator shall
organization and by ii divided among
yards in different parts of the city az
required by exigencies from day to day.
Special emphasis will be placed upon
the destrability of having some of this
coal turned over to what are known as
siding" yards-yards which have
tracks but no dumps-instead of hav.
ing it all unloaded at a few Official"
dumps.
Emergency Orders Undecided.
Reorganization of the plan of issuing
emergency orders also will be asked
The committee may recommend the is
suing of emergency orders and all
emergency coal be turned over to the
organization of dealers to handle, but
this has not been definitely decided.
This would involve taking over the
distributing Office Mr.. Weaver has in
peration at 18th and F streets. Wheth-
er emergency orders are to be issued
by their own organization or by the
fuel administrator. the dealers want
them issued to retailers in the sections
of the city in which the consumers OBJ
tanning them live.
They also want il ascertained, before
emergency orders are issued. that the
dealers TO whom the orders are direct
ed not only have the coal but are in
condition to make delivery. This in
formation will be obtainable as a re-
suit of the daily reports to be made
to the dealers headquarters, and the
dealers will insist upon the necessity
that these reports, or tables to be
compiled from them, shall be consulted
in connection with the issuing of
emergency orders
Another recommendation is to be made
by the committee to MIR. Weaver which.
while it is not necessarily part of the
program to coordinate and cooperate to
expedite deliveries, is regarded by the
dealers as equal in Importance with any
of the other proposals. 1t is that a COM
mittee of coal men shall be appointed to
which shall be referred every complaint
of wrongdoing on the part of dealers,
either of overcharging. evasion or viola
ton of regulations. or any unfair prac-
tees. 1t is intended that the COMMITTEES
shall investigate every such complaint.
gather every particle of evidence bearing
on it and turn 1t over to Mr.. Weaver for
such further action as he may deem
proper. In other words. the dealers pro-
pose themselves to bring about the dis
Of any man or firm in the busi-
ness who does not ..wholeheartedly and
sincerely Join in the Coordination and
1t is hoped to bring about.
to the end that the public may be better
served.
Preparation of the written report was
intrusted by the committee to Charles
F. Fadeley. and he is to have tenta-
tive draft ready for consideration at
the meeting this forenoon.
Strain Causes Collapse.
The committee met early yesterday
and was in continuous session
until o'clock yesterday afternoon. w.
Hamilton Smith, who was acting as
a result of overwork and loss OF sleep.
and had to be taken home.