Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-02-05

that this be regarded as the test Of
loyalty at this time. Citizens OF
America either are loyal or disioyA
now. There Is no proper middle
ground.
coAL-No1 PRICES.
I'VE proceeded on the idea that we
wanted coal-not a lot of prices that
no one would pay any attention t."
Is the succinct explanation by Polk
county's new fuel committee chair
man regarding his action in estab-
fishing a fat retail price of $5.75 a
ton for Iowa lump coal in Des Monies.
I Everyone can get coal now and not
have to watt mo1e than forty-eight
: hours for its delivery" the new con-
troIler added. "The former commit
tee fixed price Of 81 ton at the
mine mouth, but nobody could get
coal. Consumers who own their own
teams stin can 60 to the mine and
buy their coal there at s."
Ottumwans are not concerned with
the fights through which Des Moines
has been passing during the winter,
! with another But they are con-
in Iowa, with the conclusion which
has been reached not only in Des
Moines but in other Iowa cities and
throughout the countv-"We want
coal, not prices"
America does not want to go
through another such winter az that
which Is worrying along toward =
close. II the mines OF the country
can be worked through the coming
summer without interruption-that is,
II the demand for coal is sufficient to
maintain production and distribution
there win be little danger of repe-
tition next winter of this winters
coal famines.
It is up TO the consumer. Right
row, while the shortage Of the present
winter still is with us, The Courier
urges coal consumers in southern
Iowa to buy coal next summer for
next winter.
This advice was given in these cob
unns last summer for the present win.
ter, and the fact that It was followed
by many consumers is in part re-
sponsible for Ottumwa's immunity
from the coal famines which have
been felt in almost every other Iowa
city.
Less with the desire to say. I'VE
told you SO" than to emphasize the
fact that extensive buying last sum.
NOR would have gone far toward solv-
ing this winters problem, we repro
duce here a part of an editorial
which appeared in The Courier August
81. 1917, the day before President Viii.
son announced his tentative price
schedule:
AS the result Of somewhat ex-
tensive investigations The Courier
has made during the last few
weeks, with view to getting at
the exact facts with regard to the
coal situation as it concerns the
individual householder and coal
consumer, we are of the opinion
that the greater portion Of the
furore which has ragged so fiercely
touches the ultimate consumer on
the question Of supply rather than
that Of price.
The price issue is major one
with the coal buyer who figures
hts years wants by carloads or
hundreds Of cars and who, be-
cause OF the dominating proper
lions of his purchases, realizes
gain or loss OF hundreds or thou
sands OF dollars as the result Of
minor fluctuations in coal prices.
But to the householder. with
whose interests The Courier is
concerned, the important question
in connection with coal is: Can
get it when I want it," not will
it cost IS or Sc toni"
The average dwelling can be
heated through the average win.
ter by the burning of fifteen or
eighteen tons Of coal Fluctua.
tons of 81 a ton in price during
the winter means SIS or SIS e1.
pense to the householder, or per
haps s. a month during the coal
months This sum is small COM
pared with the increases the same
ordinary citizen is compelled to
meet in other items Of living ex.
pense, and in a great many in
stances he pays the advanced
price without murmur.
But he wants coal when he
needs It. He prefers to pay SIS
or $1S year extra for it rather
than risk cold. discomfort and
S1CAucSS IN his Iduliiy d. ILfe re-
suit Of inability to keep his home
warm IN winter
And because this risk is very
present one this year, on account
of the extraordinary demand for
coal which exceeds tho tonnage
all the coal mines of America will
be able to produce. The Courier
urges its readers to buy coal for
the winter without delay and at
the present prices, rather than
wait for government control to
reduce the figures
1t may be possible for nation
al coal controller to pool all the
coal producing and transporting
agencies in America and effect a
reduction in price. But such a
reduction, il it is brought about,
will be a small one as far as the
small user Of coal is concerned.
And on the other hand it may
not be possible to bring about any