The Washington times., 1918-04-09
COMEDY.
ENTITLED LAY.
YOUR WINTER.
COAL IN NOW.
By BILL PRICE.

Herewith are presented for Wash
ington people some OF the facts OBJ
servable behind the scenes in that
famous little play entitled Lay in
Your Winter Coal Now and Save
Thirty Cents on Each Ton"
This little play has been frequently
presented in the newspapers, its
authors being noted experts familiar
with every spoonful OF coal and in
position to obtain large space in pa
pers really anxious to do all they can
for the benefit of the public.
Tom Jones, a Washington consumer
with a stock of prudence and a little
money, typical OF many thousands Of
washingtonians at this time, has
read that 80 cents stuff and IL looks
mighty good to him IL he can really
get the coal before winter sets in.
He remembers the times past when
the. coal dealers ran big advertise
ments in the early spring urging peo-
pie to buy the next winters supplies
beginning April 1 and running until
the last of the September following.
The earlier the coal was bought the
more money could be saved to the
consumer.
ScIA butucly EOEtAs
Tom bIithely went to his coal dealer
last week and ordered twelve tons of
white ash stove coal delivered at the
reduced prices just as soon as the coal
can be put in.
But we can't take your order for
more than two-thirds of the coal you
will want all winter. We Will book
you for eight tons"
foh Tom Inv fIll sn the
prospect that some of his troubles are
over; that he will save 80 cents ton,
and be warm all next winter.
This week he began to think 1t over
and calls the coal dealer on the tele-
phone. "Say. will you begin deliv
ering that coal as soon as possible. I
need some occasionally now and I
would like to have it,
Sorry" says the soft voice at the
other end, but we have no white ash
stove. We could give you at present
a little pea coal. But we are not
getting any coal and We do not know
when we are going to get IT,"
For heavens sake. what's the mat
teri"
Who Gets That 20 CentsP
I'VE simply can't get the coal. Just
between US, we understand that the coal
mines do not want to give US that 20
cents on this year. and are holding the
coal back. They want to grab il for
themselves. We hear rumblings that the
mine owners are in a scrap with the fuel
administration over a number OF ques-
tionsr and they are going to stick to
their coal until they find just how much
they are going to be allowed to get out
of US and the public"
Tom Jones comes to The Times wi:l
what he has found out, and investiga-
ton shows that there is something going
on between the mine owners and the
fuel administration. How long it will
continue to go on and the consumer ce-
prived OF getting in summer deliveries
OF coal nobody seemed able to tell this
newspaper.
Summed up. the situation begins to
look as if the CONSUMER is GOING
TO BE DONE OUT OF THE THIRTY
CENTS AND GET "DERNED LIT
TIE" COAL THIS SUMMER, brings
ing into the foreground the rigors OF
another winter with people fighting
each other for just enough coal TO !
exc out with from day to day, some
days without any at all.
John Weaver, the local coal ad-
ministrator, can figure little in the
affair at this time. His business Is
TO divide among Washington people
whatever coal he can succeed in hav-
ing brought here.
The scrap is between Dr. Garfield
and the mine owners as to what they
should charge at the mouth OF the
mine for their products, and If the
public is not to get another miserable
winter DR.. Garfield will have to use
some of his great power to force a
quick showdown in behalf of the pub |
lie, which he is expected to do as
soon as he confers with his State ad- |
ministrators.
Reports From Behind Curtain.
Some of the reports from behind
the curtain are along these lines: The
coal operators do not want to concede
reduced prices 10 retail dealers for
the summer months. They need the |
money for increased dividends. Next, !
the operators do not think they are
being treated right when independent
coal miners are permitted to charge !
rs cents more a ton at the mines than
the big fellows. They declare il is |
their output. doing little |
TO increase the output OF the inde- !
pendents and putting big profits in |
the pockets OF the independents. This |
was a source of immense
confusion as to retail coal prices all
last winter, in Washington and every |
where else.
year found that the independent coal |
miners were subject TO larger over |
head charges than the big miners and |
ought TO get a difference at the mine |
This difference was fixed at 80 cents !
per ton in favor OF the independents |
E0IlRhTInMHI