Evening star., 1918-07-07
GAIN the Garfieldian admoni-
tion, "Buy coal early!" 10
sounded from headquarters.


q q Has the cry of coal short
age" become merely the story of
''Wolf. wolf!"? No earlier than June
4, q statement came from the United
States Fuel Administration that peo-
pie were not buying coal as advised.
Estimated as requiring 100000
tons more coal during the year begin
ming April l, 1918, the transportation
problem, mo market" and less pro-
duction than necessary up to date
present a woeful outlook in fuel. The
domestic consumer and the govern
ment shop are to be given prefer
ence, but the former is being begged
to buy now and thus stimulate pro-
duction. Coal production the world
over is topsy-turvy, it seems.
The acute shortage in Europe. dur
ing four years of war. has had few
drastic measures applied. The situa-
tion last winter, when, it seems, the
whole world was wrapped in an arc
tic blanket, was worst of all. In
Great Britain only, fuel necessity
among the fighting nations appears to
have been better arranged for than
the winter before. Better distribu-
tion. wiser regulation of allowance
and increased work at the mines are
reported to have effected this.
In Switzerland, where ones imagi-
nation sees skyline mountains sit
ting round about in regular mauso-
leums OF snow. and stinging cold win
ters are ever correct, fuel regulations
were even more strict, if possible.
Only living rooms might be heated in
country or city household, and the
temperature was never much as
the minimum of Is degrees, which
ditty here. People wore winter clothes.
though, and that is a big difference.
The traditional velveteen of the
mountain peasant in Europe was
much in evidence.
That 1t is remarkable there has
not been more complaint in Europe
about fuel goes without saying. The
strict regulations in France have
been wondered at by both enemy and
friend of that brave republic. The
the largest coal mines of the French.
Mines in the st. Etienne consular dis
trict are treasured as one of the
chief sources of coal now.
~
Closer study Of the transportation
problem in France Is said to have re-
suited In vastly increasing the output
OF coal from these mines. Motor
lorries and fleet of heavy motor
trucks bought by the city of st.
Etienne were put to coal-hauling last
winter. and it is expected that this sys-
tenn Of distribution from one big mine
will be improved before next winter ar
rives.
Quoting one expert. whose opinions
were on file in the United States Fuel
A = tat lac
is put to it to find enough fuel to
meet her needs. However, there Is
no thought of shutting down indus
tries essential to the war. There the
, civilian is asked to make sacrifices.
Hot baths become luxury, warm
rooms are almost unique Wood be-
comes the chief fuel in all homes.
Even those who can afford to pay the
price for wood and coal can obtain
only an extremely limited supply
streets, little cubby-holes of places,
only half-protected from the storm,
where men and women come to buy
wood by the pound. This Is in the cit
les. Of course Out in the country in
the more isolated places, the adored
Red Cross wagons drive through the
war-scarred villages, distributing
provisions; bags of coal or wood be-
ing the most coveted by the old
housewives who often come to meet
wheelbarrows."
How many people know that Great
Britain brought coal to this coun-
try last winter? Shipping men in
sisted that there was nothing remark
able about it, that England, knowing
the condition here. wanted to keep
from drawing on our apparently slen-
der resources for enough coal to take
them back home or to some other
port.
One shipping man insisted, how