Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-12-01
CONFERENCE HELD
| IN CHICAGO ASKS
FUEL ALLEGATION
Urge State Governments
Take All Possible Steps to
Obtain Production.
EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION
SOUGHT UNDER RIGID RULES
Agreed Many States Face Serious
Shortage of Bituminous
Supply.
WANT FUEL ADMINISTRATORS
Flan commonwealth Shall Act Until
Federal Authorities Can Rcorgan-
ize Necessary Machinery.
EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION
SOUGHT UNDER RIGID RULES
WANT FUEL ADMINISTRATOR
Plan commemorative Shall Act Until
Federal Authorities Can Rcorgan-
ize Necessary Machinery.
fBy Associated Press. I

CHICAGO. Nov. 30.-Governors or
seven soft coal producing States az n
conference today agreed that the State
governments should take all possible
steps to obtain the production OF coal
and recommended to the Federal gov
eTnment that a complete fuel admins
tration, with an administrator for each
State to be recommended by the gov
ernors. be perfected Immediately. The
State executives also requested equit-
able distribution OF coal under uni
form and rigid regulations In all
States.
The executives participating in the
conference. which was called by Gov
ernor Frederick D. Gardner. of Mis-
souri,. announced that they had ad-
1ourned to meet IN st. Louis next Sun
qnS,,.r day; In the meansme they viii await
governments efforts In bringing about
Tessmptt9n R;iSH 5,,In1 OF produGslon iut Miles C.
Tie meeting @ Was to so ts
Washington. where he will remain
temporarily as the representative OF
the Goyernoss and to Iprsssal 5. te Ina
nation In tn ESQ Sta tes. 80 =
Governors at Conference.
Attending the conference were Gov
ernors Frank Q. Lowden., of illinois:
James Z. Goodrich. OF Indiana: w. j..
Harding. of Iowa: Gardner. OF Missouri;
j. b. "a. Robertson, OF Oklahoma,sA. IA.
NODerIS,- OF tennessee. ana Attorney
General r. J.. Hopkins. of Kansas. who
represented Governor Henry j. Allen.
1t was agreed by tho executives that
their States faced serious shortage
servation and the most rEidly supee-
vised str rLsution would prevent SUI
fering by the people and disaster TO
industry
The officials were OF a unanimous
opinion that the fuel administration
organization should be perfected Ia
DrOyi0e absolute ChlFCe
reserves and distribution through State
administrators named by the Cover.
conference were executive. and il was
not until late in the afternoon that IT,
adjourned and issued d public state
ment.
States to Meet Situation.
Governor Gardner announced after
the conference that II was the senti-
nors should use every effort to have
the State Governors meet the coal sit
uation in their Commonweaiths. It
Federal officials and until the govern
ment had more time to put its plans
for increasing production into effect
conferenee would be taken until The
meeting one week hence in st. Louis,
The statement made public an
nounced that the conference had unan-
imously agreed on the following rec
concentrations:
That a more complete fuel admins
perfected by the appointment. at once
OF fuel admi psstration in each State
to be recommended by the Governors.
TO be compensated by the Federal gov
ernment and to have full charge and
control of all coal available for his
State y
Ask ALLEGATION OF Fuel.
'1n view OF the statements by Di-
rector-Generai Hines to the effect that
the production OF soft coal Is nov. 40
10 so per cent of normal, and in view
OF reports from other sources to the
effect that the production of hard coal
is now above normal. all coal mined
and In stock in the United States, both
soft and hard. should be distributed
eQuitably among the forty eight States
on the basis OF their needs as develop
ed during the war. regardless OF the
State where mined.
"That rigid and uniform rules and
regulations for the greatest conserva-
tion of coal throughout the Union he
forthwith established, promulgated and
enforced.
That the respective State govern
ments take all possible steps to secure
the production OF coal.
That Miles c. Riley. secretary %
the Governors conference. be directed
and delegated to proceed to WASHING
ton to present to the authorities the
seriousness OF the situation in the
States and to remain In that city tenn
porarily as a representative of the
Governors