Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-10-10
Britain s Coal Problem.
From the London Times.

Sir Guy Calthrop, the coal controller, recently addressed the
delegates to the conference of the British Miners Federation.
He said that he was faced approximately with q coal deficiency
OF 36,O0OOOO tons a year. BY means of the rationing of household
coal, gas, and electricity throughout the country, he hoped to save
from 100000 to 5000 600 tons upon last years consumption, leaving
a balance of 27,OOOOOO tons to be found. This deficit could only be
met by a policy of rationing coal supplies to industries which, though
not directly concerned with wal work, were nevertheless important,
and by an improved output of coal.
The economies and privations OF our allies in the matter OF coal
far exceeded anything he was asking the people of this country to
submit to, either as household consumers Z as consumers OF Industrial
coal. The ration OF coal in France for a household of five persons
was only % hundredwcight a year. Every day American troops
We're pouring into France, and this meant q constantly increasing
demand for coal, a demand he always tried to meet without grudging
He was sure II o miner would grudge the American soldiers their Coal.
Whereas, last autumn, American requirements were only at the rate
of 100000 tons a year, from now EDWARDS they would represent
millions. He was hopeful that under the household rationing scheme
no real hardship would be inflicted, though many people would have
to submit to inconvenience and a change OF habits. The coal stocks
of public utility undertakings in this country had been reduced much
below the level which was formerly considered the margin of safety.
There was a deficiency in gas works stocks based OH SIX weeks peak
load for London and II large provincial centers of 951,75 tons.
Recently he had to suspend for q period nearly all deliveries OF coal
to railways, in order to divert shipments to Italy tor military
purposes.
1t was necessary to send coal to neutral countries to carry out
definite agreements between the governments under which we
secured materials and services Of fundamental Importance for
carrying on the war. The Germans were m worse straits than we
were for coal, but they were using the coal weapon against us with
neutrals. In wartime coal was not merely gold. Money could not
buy it. 1t was not only the prime factor in nearly oil war materials,
but the prime article of barter and bargain with neutral countries.
81 may as we'll tell you quite frankly" Sir Guy Calthrop
proceeded, "that during July we have not been able to fulfill our
obligations to ship coal to our allies and to the neutral countries. with
which we have agreements, and that we are short upon our shipment
program. In June and July and this month came that serious
endemic of influenza which fell severely on some coal fields, and in
some cases caused SO per cent Of the men employ d at the pits to be
absent for a week. Consequently July must not be looked upon as
a normal month, but the output for July was the worst Of any month
$500 600 tons compared viii July, 1917. This has made the situation
nrecariOuS"