Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-08-04
COAL CONTROL
UP TO STATES
Federal Government to Act Only
in Interstate Problems,
Says Hoover.
GOVERNORS RECEIVE PLAN
They viii Be Expected to Check Prof
iteering and Regulate Fuel Dis
trbution-Washinq to Elk
ert Only Moral Pressure.

Washington, Aug. Each of the
states will be expected to check prof
iteering and regulate coal distribution
within it's own confines without the as
sistance Of the federal government,
Secretary of Commerce Hoover an
nounced in a statement of the plans
of the national coal distribution COM
mittee.
Each state,'' Mr.. Hoover said, "has
been asked to make such rules and
regulations as it may see fit to control
speculation and distribution within the
boundaries of the state. 1t has been
suggested that the cooperation of their
state wholesale and retail coal dealers
associations should be secured. The
federal government has no authority
and can exert none in this matter be-
yond moral pressure
Mr.. Hoovers coal distribution plan
has been communicated to the gov
errors. Under the provisions of this
plan the federal government will limit
its activities in coal distribution entire
ly to interstate questions. Henry 3.
Spencer, according to Mr.. Hoover, has
been appointed fuel distributor, not
fuel administrator, because the federal
distribution is concerned with coal dis
tribution between the different states,
not with coal administration in the
sense of the war organization.
The control of coal distribution to
individual consumers within the state
boundaries is entirely in the hands of
state authorities except for railway
coal.
The methods of handling coal for
railways responsible to the interstate
commerce commission will be deter
mined directly from Washington in
maintaining interstate commerce.
Distribution problems vary in differ
ent groups of states; that is in New
England middle Atlantic, southern,
Middle West, northern lake states, in
termountain and Pacific states. The
last two groups are able to look after
! themselves and are not now embraced
in active administration.
Each state outside the latter groups
has been requested to canvass its situ-
! alton as to stocks and requirements
in order of the priority in different
classes public utilities, public institu-
tons, households and industrial coal
Each state that must import coal
from other states has been asked to
create a central state agency or COM
mittee for the purchase or guarantee
of purchases of coal that may be i'm
ported into the state from other states
or from abroad, all coal to be con-
signed to an agency designated by the
state.
By this arrangement a great deal
more mobility is given the state au-
thorities in shifting coal to meet it's
local emergencies. Furthermore this
arrangement will remedy the financial
impossibility of asking coal producers
to ship to strange consumers whose re-
liability must be established. The re-
pudiation of coal during the last
strike caused great losses and litiga-
ton.
The federal fuel distributor will
place these state central purchasing
agencies or committees in contact with
the coal producers in states of coal
surplus and will undertake to see that
coal is sold to the central purchasing
agencies at fair price. The state
purchasing agencies will Indicate the
destinations within the states to which
coal is to be shipped.