The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-07-09
To PUT COUNTRY
ON COAL RATION
Garfield Will Limit Supply
Each Householder May
Install for Winter
SAYS SHORTAGE
is A CERTAINTY
Survey to Be Made in Each Community
to Prevent Hoarding-Fuel Will Be
Sent to France to Meet the Need Of
War Industries There.


WASHINGTON, July "a coal ra-
ton for household consumption this
winter has been deereed by DR.. Garfield,
the fuel administrator, and will be put
into effect as soon as possible. Sufi-
cient coal will be given to each indi-
vidual to keep his home at temperature
of 6S degrees when scientifically heated.
Coal hoarders will have their surplus
supplies taken away from them and
may be prosecuted by the government.
The action of DR.. Garfield marks the
| first venture of the government into the
| rationing plan for any commodity as a
war measure The nearest approach
to it heretofore is found in the sugar
| distribution plan recently put into effect
by Food Commissioner Hoover.
| ''This system will be drastic said
DR.. Garfield, "and will introduce con-
! ditions new to the country; it will be
no more drastic, however, than the con-
ditions demand in the interests of all
4 concerned. No one will be deprived of
coal actually needed for heating
4 In each city coal survey will be
made for the purpose of determining
the needs of each household and an al
lotment made which will give each as
much coal as is believed to be necessary
for normal needs. The survey will be
carried out under the direction of local
fuel administrators. A plan similar to
this has been in operation in Great
Britain and France since the outset of
the war
To carry out the decree a censorship
of every order for coal received by re-
tail dealers will be made by local ad
ministrators and the size of the order
compared with the rating given to the
house under the household survey
Statements of the househoiders will bt
checked up carefully with the number
of rooms and the space to be heated
Orders from consumers that are larger
than the rating figure viii be scaled
down to the requisite amount.
| The rationing plan is made necessary
SAYS DIR. Garfield, by an almost certain
shortage this winter due in large meas
ure to the growing consumption of Goa
/ by war Industries and munition plant
and other war purposes.
cit is evident that there will be a
insufficient supply for winter needs un
less the utmost conservation IS pTac
tieed,'' said DR.. Garfield, 'and sys
tenn of local distribution inaugurate
which viii prevent any consumer fror
lobtaining more coal that is suficien
for his wants.
Cooperation on the part of the house
holders with the fuel administration q
a means of bringing success to til
scheme and prevent inequalities in dii
tribution or the boarding of coal
asked by DR.. Garfield. He offers tn
plan this summer in lieu of fine one pr
forward last summer to create reserv
coal supply in each town and city while
could be drawn on by local administer
tors when all other sources of suppl
failed. At that time Dr. Garfield a
serted the country would not experienC
a shortage last winter and asked ii
householders to refrain from buyi1
their coal until he had finished his a
u justments of the prices.
Large quantities of fuel probably vi
be sent to France this fall to me
needs of war industries there. Posse
RI sion by the Germans of many importal
IL coal mines in northern France has Gu
tailed the amount of fuel available f
war needs there and made it necessa
on for the French government to call ups
both Great Britain and the Unit
States to come. TO its aid with eonside
able tonnage of coal. $50