The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-01-09
HOW COAL SUPPLY WAS CARED
FOR DURING STRIKE OF MINERS

Probably there was never q more
unique organization ever set up In
the United States than the central coal
Of the United States rail-
road administration at Washington. |
which throughout the strike had COM /
plete control over the distribution Of |
coal mined and over supplies OF coal
In storage and on wheels on the rail- |
roads when the miners stopped work.
The committee had back Of II all the
power Of the fuel administration un-
der the Lever act. There was no prece-
dent to go by. Being bound by 90
precedents. It could % ahead In a
common-sense way and that Is exactly
what II did.
Harry b. Spencer. director Of divi-
sion of purchases of the railroad ad-
mlnistration. formerly vice president
Of the Southern railroad. and man
Of long experience In dealing with coal
job Of handling the situation as chair
man Of the central coal committee. Re
fore the strike actually begnn. he had
his assistants all picked. his plans al
made. his orders written and every
thing prepared to take charge. There
fore. the evening Of October 81 DR..
Harry A. Garfield. the fuel administra-
tor. who had rendered his resignation
months before, but whose resignation
had not been accepted and whose pow
ers had only been suspended, not an
nulled, was called back into service
and issued an order re-establishing
control over the distribution Of coal.
making the director general Of rail-
roads his agent and re-establishing
the priority orders In effect during the
war. At the same time. and to pre-
vent profiteering. the fuel administra-
tor issued orders re-establishlng the
government maximum prices on btu
minous coal. The day the strike began
Mr.. Spencer put his organization into
effect throughout the country. and
from then on the problem was one
Of distributing coal and looking after
the constantly decreasing stock of the
country.
; On the Job Every Day.
The committee remained In practi
cally continuous session every day O
the strike, including Sundays. and al
rapidly as kilograms and letters CAM
in. took immediate action.
Back of this committee and cooper
ating closely with 1t have been re
: gional and district local coal com
: mittees, picked in advance of III
. strike and established immediatel
: after the strike began. On these n
gional and local coal committees ha
fallen very large share Of the bu
den of handling the coal distribute
problems from day to day, and 1t IL I
:, the credit of these committees this
. they have had minimum Of clashe
with state or local authorities whe
q it is appreciated that on these con
: mittees fell many Of the duties exc
;, cised by the fuel Administrative
q through the war and when 1t is appr
- ciated that these committees alway
!. were limited in what they could i
"a by the stocks of coal on hand, It wi
a. be realized that their work was I
!. the most difficult character.
n One Of the chief difficulties In Il
,r situation was the fact that condition
IS throughout the United States were
e. widely different that It was apparel
ID that It would be impossible to de
s. with all sections of the country alils
n Therefore great deal of responsib
It. ity was left with the regional directo
Or Of railroads and with the regional al
he local coal COMMITTEES. However, son
re general principles were laid down Il
IS, mediately which were followed in
vs. general way throughout the coal strii
d, The preliminary rule was laid doy
H. that no coal should be given to a
he consumer who had a reserve supp
Of and that coal should only be given
it. meet emergency needs.
ms Get Reports Daily.
!. munication, the rule was set up tn
:. persons desiring coal should make 1
A., plication on the road ordinarily S,
-, plying them with coal and in orc
~ that the central coal committee sho,
- be kept constantly supplied with
- formation machinery was set up unt
which each railroad should promp
report to the central coal commit
= and to the regional coal committee
name, title. location and telephone
dress Of the representative of that r,
road in whom the whole coal questl
M would be centered for that railro
IN Summed up, the result Of
III handling of the coal supply Of the
M ton by the government has been Il
s. with mobile supply at the beginn
~ of the strike of 22,OOO,OOO tons of c
81 at the disposal Of the entire count
ID and production which never reaci
81 so per cent Of normal, with cold wea
W er existing in most parts of the co
II try during part Of the strike, .
n billiards. In some parts of the co
n try throughout most Of the strike.
81 nation was able to last out six We