Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-04-22
Consumers Can Help Prevent
Shortage Next Winter by
Buying Now. Says Fuel
Administrator.
GARFIELD SOUNDS WARNING.
Better Borrow Money New to auy
Than Do Without Later, He says--if
Yeur Storage Space liant Large
Enough, Enlarge It.
BY HARRY A. GARFIELD.
United States Fuel Admin istrator

VI fNNhh ~ NJ
United States Fuel Adn,inis.rator.
Every Householder, every public uI'''
i,y end every industrial user ~ coat
engaged in work essential TO the prose
ctition of the war are earnestly at
viscd aud urged 10 place without lie
lar their oriers for coal to cover their
needs for the II utonlbs beginning
April /.
During the past - months there has
been suffering among consumers ami
curtailment of essential production BY
Industries through inability 10 oh'ain
Necessary fsel after the beginning ~
winter, A year ago consumers were
lei to believe thai they might safely
withhold their orders until later IN the
year. They lshored under tho impress
sion tina, coal could be bought aud 80.
tuT'u ~ NNN 81 Uiis UNIV ~ ht't W.
They were told thar there was plenty
Of coal for everybody and that there
would be plenty Of cos cars to move
the coal in also
This advice anu it's sc.,'piahce by
consumers was one of tho Contributing.
causes 10 the coal shortage, with it>
consequent suffering among domestic
consumers and lesseniny in production
Of commodities needed IN our war a.
tivities.
The Fuel Administration was not
tten In existence and did not begin It's
work until August cS. 1t was then al
resdy too late to undo The harm which
had been done. The Fuel Administers
ton would he negligent NJ rs dui. 70
the public II il failed 10 call attention
al this tine ~ the unfortunate result.
OF the mistaken course pursued BY the
public a year ago and 10 warn al con
suh'ess IN the most emphatic manner
possible that repetition Of those re
suits can be avoided "nls ~ accepting
and scring immediately upon the Fuel
administrations advice, here given;
Order Your Coal At Once,
Let every .consumer Of the classes
mentioned ascertain. his fuel require
mepts for the coming vesr, 10 his
stonf@ Order sufficient roa Il rrrt
those requirements, Place rour orders
81 once, u domestic consumers hste
mol snfilcient storage space for az
coal they Will need they should o.
large their bins. n public utilities AMI
Industries engaged upon government
work have pct sufficient Storage space
they should at once provide it.
The production Of coal in this coun.
Try Ia Fundamentally a transportation
problem. There arc enough COS ear.
End enough locomotives 10 transport
the necessary quantity Of coal. only II
every car and every locomotive Ia
used 70 lis maximum capacity every
day In the year There are enough
operatives IN the mines 10 aet The roaI
from the ground II those operatives
csn work every day In lhe year and II
tle coal cars and locomotives are
available every day.
The fuel problem i 10 ge The c"s
from. the 6rst place OF deposi 10 ,he
Gnsl place Of deposit With as little de
nay as possible and IN as steady and
continuous a stream as circumstances
viii permit The railroads may be
compared To- water pipe Nhirti needs
TO run fllll all HE innp 10 carry tho
necessary amount ~ water 10 ll> des
unstion. II that water il shut m FOR
Any appreeshe time IL means an ult.
mate shortage The pipe cali csrr> no
more thsn Us MAXIMUM capacity per
DAY.
Sorrow, II YOU Must
lnconyeience ~ saying for coal in
The spring or summer when Il will not
he needed nntil sjlQmn or Winter
should moi influence any consumer ,n
delay placing his order and securing
his supply. Il IL far wiser to bnrroN
s0het 10 the spring 10 pay 'or ONES
coal than 10 nsii tmdl autumn 49,
STlnter, vheu II lbe oual hst not been
elned and shipped nonev cannot pro.
.urp II.
The Fuel Administration. lrousD
che State Fuel ADMINS rator, and Ip.
'csl Committees, - prepared Ia ever
reasonable way 10 aid public NItililist
essential industries, reiail dealers and
domestic Consumers Ia placing their
orders and IN seeming ASSURANCE Of
sutsicisnl supply Of fuel All hes.
governmental. agencies, however are
powerlsss " the consumers themselye,
'sll to ect Again, therefore. lie Fuel
ADMIN spatlVn urges eYer} consumer
50 place his orders immediately This
should ordinarily be done through 4.
medium OF supply Upon which Tie con.
sumer hes relied In Tue past ~ FIJI.
course 10 followed II MAJ he bol.od
that the suffering aud loss OF The pa.t
winter viii not he repes,ed II /,
not done consumer. vii nav. the,o.
ssl - 10 dame.