Evening star., 1918-02-10
THREE PLANS FOR
COAL DISTRIBUTION
]. L. Weaver in Daily Consul
tation With u. S. Admin
iStration Officials.
WANTS BEST METHOD

Plans for the distribution OF coal In
Washington during the coal year."
which begins April 1. are at present divid-
ed into three parts, any one or all OF
which may be put in operation.
These parts are:
First-Coal cards, by which coal will be
to householders and other users
Second-Licensing by the fuel admin
istratfon OF all coal dealers. wholesale
and retail.
Third-A coal dealers clearing house.
under jurisdiction OF the District fuel
through which cross hauls
would be avoided and other bad business
practices averted.
John L. Weaver, fuel administrator for
the District of Columbia, is in almost
daily consultation with officials Of the
United States Fuel Administration in re-
gard to the program, and it is taking
form rapidly. 1t is his desire and the de-
sire OF DR.. Garfield and other fuel ad-
ministration officials that there shall be
worked out here in Washington a plan
which will be applicable to the country
as whole, particularly to cities.
Contemplates Visiting Dayton.
Mr.. Weaver contemplates a visit soon to
Dayton, Ohio. where a coal card system
and dealers clearing house already have
been put in operation. 1t is reported that
the Dayton plan has given highly salts
factory results during this winters coal
shortage and Mr.. Weaver wants to study
it at close range. Edward F. Colladay.
who is the chief adviser of the local fuel
administrator, may accompany him to
Dayton.
The idea of coal cards in Washington
was original with Mr.. Weaver. but 1t
appears to have been born at about
the same time in the minds OF other
state fuel administrators. This devel-
oped at the conference here last week
of administrators from eastern states.
They all were anxious to know how far
the Washington plan had progressed,
stating that they had been considering
the application of some such scheme
to their own cities.
Essence Of the coal card idea is that
there shall be q fair distribution OF
the mines and the equipments OF deal.
ers may be kept in operation through
out the year. 1t purposes that there
shall be an allotment Of coal on o ma
tional scale, based on population, cli-
matte conditions and the essentially
of the industries of different localities.
Under this national allotment, the Dis
trict of Columbia, having the same
many tons of anthracite and so many
tons of bituminous. Then it would be
the job of the District fuel admins
traitor to apportion that coal among
dustrial establishments, maintaining an
emergency reserve.
Experts are agreed that coal pro-
duction for the year beginning April I
will be below what would be the con-
sumption were there no limits On sup
ply. The most common estimate Is that
there VIII be a deficit of 20 per cent
that there will be only so per cent as
much coal as the nation could and
II Washington is allowed but so per
cent Of what would be its consumption
under normal conditions 1t will be Ad-
ministrator Weaver's task to work out
a plan for equitable distribution Coal
for domestic uses probably would be
allotted according to number of rooms
character of houses. kind OF heating
plant, etc. with consumption in years
previous to the present one being taken
into account. He would have to de-
eide. too. under regulations to be is-
sued by the national fuel administra-
ton, how coal would be allotted for
commercial and industrial purposes in
cluding apartment houses, hotels, Office
buildings. churches and theaters.
once the apportionment was made.
each consumer would be given a card
emitting him to so many tons of coal
of a specified kind. He would be en-
abled to buy this coal cheapest in April,
with a small increase in price each
succeeding month. The buying priv
ilege conferred by the card would lapsa
on specified date. probably October l.
Whatever part of his tonnage he had
tailed to obtain by that date he would
have to take his chance on getting
later. that chance depending on sup
a -
1t is believed that under this plan the
great bulk OF coal for domestic use
would be mined and delivered during
the spring and summer. 1essening the
winter demands on mines and trans
portation and making the recurrence
of coal famine practically impossible
Licensing of coal dealers would be
TO insure fair treatment of all con-
sumers. to make price regulation less
difficult and to give the fuel admins.
tration close and unquestionable con-
troll over all distribution questions.
Authority to require dealers to obtain
licenses is contained in the law under
which the fuel adn,inistra ton was
created. II has worked SO satisfactory
ly in the cases of wholesa .ers and large
retall dlsirlbuterS of foodstuffs that
DR.. Garfeld's lteutenants are almost n
unit in advocating its adoption for fuel
he clearing house project appeals
alke 10 fuel administration officials and
coal dealers as the sensible. business
and economical distribution, assuring
to the public lower costs and better
service. Under it Washington would be
divided into districts and a dealer To-
Gated in one district would make no
deliveries in any other unless the cir.
were exceptional When
consumers living outside his dfstrict
placed orders with him he would send
them to the clearing house and In ex.
change would be given orders by resi-.
Ients OF his district which had been
placed elsewhere.
AS a foundation upon which the plan.
n all its three parts. must rest is the
aquita Bile distribution of coal to deal
srS. Every dealer who was granted n
license would be entitled to his fair
share of coal. based his equipment
md the tonnage he had handled in
previous years. This would be neces
;ary in order that holders of coal cards.
vhen they placed their orders with a
lealer. could be sure that the dealer
would be able to get the coal to supply
hem. No dealer would be permitted TO
accept orders beyond his proportion of
he citys total tonnage. or, il he ac-
,epted them, he would be required to
,ass them into the clearing house to be
illed by dealers who had had coal IN
.Xcess of the orders on their books
It is a big job of organization which
Weaver has before him.
,ut he will have the assistance of fhe
experts of the National Fuel Adminfs-
ra tion and all the clerical and secre-
arial help he may require.
In discussing the subject yesterday
,e said he would welcome suggestions
rom the people Of Washington either