New-York tribune., 1918-06-04
Head of Fuel Administra-
ton Declares Situation
Is Serious
Must Keep Mines Busy
Full Production Capacity Dur
ing Summer Months an
Absolute Necessity
(cnec;nI D;enntch In The J'yibUnr J


WASHINGTON, June 3.Fuel Ad
ministrator Harry A. Garfield, in q
statement urging early buying of coal,
to day frankly admitted that "the fuel
situation confronting the country is
serious.
"The country must give its attention
to the coal problem during the warm
weather of the present summer, if we
are to avoid the hardships and suffer
ing of q coal shortage during the next
winter" said DR.. Garfield, "The natural
tendency to forget about coal when
heat is not Immediately needed must
be overcome. The fuel situation con-
fronting the country is serious.
"Thc coal demands of the country
for both bituminous and anthracite are
now being estimated. The tentative fig
ures now available show demand for
735, 900 tons Of both kinds of coal
for the coal year beginning April /,
1918. TO reach this unprecedented total
would necessitate the production of
"a, 100000 tons more than were pro-
duced last year. Anthracite production
will about equal that of last year.
made up in bituminous production.
"The fuel administration does not
expect that this increase can be fully
met. 1t is, therefore, apparent that the
full requirements of coal cannot be
filled and the difference must be made
up by voluntary or enforced curtail-
ment in the use of fuel.
Government Comes First
"The war work of the government
cannot be hampered by this prospective
shortage. The ships, the railroads and
the industries engaged in war work
will have their full quota day by day.
The domestic consumers will also be
given preference in obtaining their
supplies:
''1n the territory where anthracite
coal will be supplied during the coming
winter consumers have already placed a
large proportion of their orders for the
winter supply. The fuel administration
is directing it's efforts toward filling
these orders as promptly as possible
"1n the btuminous consuming sec
tions, particularly in the Mississippi
Valley, large proportion of the orders
for the winter supply still remain to be
placed. These orders must be in the
hands of the dealers and of the pro-
ducers if the fuel administration is to
make proper and equitable spportion-
ment of the available supply. Without
orders the mines cannot continue to
produce. 1t is significant that during
the week Of May Is mines in the Cen
tral and Far West lost a material per-
centage of their production because
they lacked orders. Reports for that
week show loss in production for that
reason.
Early Orders Imperative
"The need for supplying larger guam
titles Of anthracite to the eastern part
of the country has forced the with :
drawal of this kind of coal from var
ious sections of the West and South.
Bitumnous production in these Sec
tions must be increased to make up
for the withdrawal of this anthracite.
This can only be done if the mines are
kept working at maximum capacity
during the open weather Of the sum-
mer and the fullest possible advantage
taken of the increased railroad facili-
ties available at this time.
Consumers must place their orders
distributing agencies may be kept
working at their highest speed. Every
order possible should be placed by
both domestic and industrial consum-
ers during the present week, which has
been designated coal week
"The Fuel Administration must have
the full cooperation of every coal con-
sumer in the country to eliminate use
less waste and to obtain the highest
possible efficiency in the use of the
available coal supply. 1t will, Of
course, be impossible to deliver the
whole supply for the country for all
purposes during the summer months.
The consumer whose order is on the
books of his dealer or mine operator
now will receive his coal before the
late conner, who makes known his needs
at the eleventh hour"