The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1918-03-21
DoN1RoL4.oF FUEL
full Exposition Of Governments
Conduct Of This
Work.
WELL ORGANIZED
Value Of Commissions Labore Well
Enthusiastically on Lakes
Averted. Serious Famine In
Northwest.

Northwest.
Bismarck, N. DAT present no adj
mtnistrative auxiliary Of the federal
government is more in the public eye
than the national fuel administration.
II is probable that this condition VIII
continue at least so long as cold
weather persists. The first pinch of
the war was felt in the winter Of
1861, when the local demand for
coal exceeded the supply, and there
resulted hardship and industrial DIFF
ftculties. With this shortage went
rapidly mounting prices. The situa'
ton became so acute that in June
1917, Congress adopted q resolution
asking the Federal Commission to in
vestigate the anthracite coal situa'
ton. The Trade Commission real.
ICED that the anthracite coal problem
could not be considered apart, from
that Of bituminous coal, for the q
on that under conditions Of increased
demand N must take the place Of
the other to a considerable extent In
industry.
The estimate Of the amount Of coal
which was needed during the year
ending June 80, 1917, as compared with
the previous year, indicating an in.
crease of only about 10 per cent. Not
withstanding, the prices of coal, when
It came time to make contracts in the
early summer Of 1917, had increased
for large consumers 100 to $50 per
cent and for small consumers by 200
to 400 per cent.
After a thorough investigation, the
Federal Trade Commission June 70
made the following recommendation:
First, that the production and dis.
tribution Of coal and coke be conduct.
ed through a pool in the, hands of a
government agency; that the produc.
ers Of the various grades Of fuel bs
paid their full cost Of production, plus
q uniform profit per ton.
Second, that the transportation
agencies of the United States, both
rail and water, be similarly pooled and
operated on Government account, I'M
der direction of the President, and
that all such means Of transportation
be operated as a unit, the owning cor
poration being paid a Just and fair
compensation which would cover nor.
NAL net profit, upkeep and better.
ments."
Following this report, the coal situa
ton became more and more acute, and
finally a bill giving the President
authority to exercise drastic powers
became . law August 10. 1917. On
August 20, Robert 8. Lovett was made
general agent under the Priority Ship.
ment Act and givon full authority to
require the roads o: the county con.
cerned in the transportation Of coal
10 give coal priority IN transports.
ton. By executive orders, the Presi-
dent, upon the basis Of information
furnished him by the Federal Trade
Commission temporarily fixed a scale
Of prices for bituminous and anthra.
cite coal.
The President did not take advan.
tage Of an authority in the Law to place
the control Of coal under the Federal
Trade Commission, but decided to ap.
point a fuel commissioner. DR.. Harry
A. Garfield. was appointed to this Of.
fee August 23;p1917.
With. this appointment began the
work of the fuel administration
which now. extends to every state and
district and county and city in the
United States. What that commits
sion has accomplished is we'll known
here in the northwe est, which but for
priority shipments Of coal via the
great lakes during tho season Of nav.
igation would pay millions more for
its fuel, If it were possible to obtain
eastern Goals at any price. Fuel ad.
ministrators in every state were
named September 20, and each fed.
eral fuel administrator appointed for
his state an advisory committee and
certain local committees, which are
the ultimate finger tips Of the fuel
administration, authorized on approval
Of the state administrator to invest.
gate and remedy cases Of hardship or
uneQuity, subject to reversal or up.
peal to the United States Fuel Ad-
lninistrator. They also are to keep
tie state administration informed o.
to local conditions and needs and to
lend assistance In providing relief.
Tho most important duty Of the