The New York herald., 1922-08-30
More work with Soft Coal.
LEGISLATURE VOTES
FUEL CONTROL BILL
Continued from First Page.

to members OF the Legislature whom he
has in mind for the position of Fuel Ad-
ministrator. He told half a dozen men,
bers to-day that he Is far from a deci-
sion. 1t is expected that the new official
| will be a technical man who knows coal
| distribution in a practical way.
| There were few rather tense mo-
| ments in the Assembly to-day when it
Join In an insurgency movement to block
| the bill unless those provisions dealing
with wood as fuel were exempted.
! Speaker Machold stamped on the insur-
gents hard and killed the movement in
| short order. Under terms OF the bill any
| person who sells wood for fuel must OBJ
| tain license from the Fuel Adminis-
| traitor.
| Because OF the coal shortage wood has
| jumped from $12 to 81 cord and Is ex-
| pected to go higher. Some Of the rural
| representatives in the Legislature are
understood to be much interested in the
size of their wood piles now ready for
market, but as the laws go into the
| statute books the Fuel Administrator
can restrict the price Of wood the same
| as coal.
| The Senate was In session three hours
and the Assembly three hours, Adjourn
lnent was taken by both houses late this
afternoon.
| When tho Two Houses met the Gov
ernor's emergency message was read.
This stated that In the face OF the coal
crisis action was necessary by the Legis-
lature without delay. The message en-
abled immediate consideration Of the
4 a DarnnCrare off
ments to the Governors bill. all OF the
provisions in the measures contained in
the Hylan program.
walker Leads Attack.
/ Senator Walker led the attack on the
Governors bill. launching into a whole
I sale denunciation of the Federal Ad-
ministration, which he blamed for hav-
4 ing permitted the strike situation to have
developed to It's present crisis. The gal
leries laughed when he described It as
the Rip Van Wrinkle Administration
The President Is more responsible
than any one for this war time legisla-
ton. which we are enacting now Sena-
tor Walker said. What an absurdity
that four years after the war we are APP
pointing q war dictator to distribute
coal The Republicans in the State LeRis-
lature may name dictators 10 invade our
cellars. but the Republican National
! Legislature refuses to appoint dictators
to go into the mines and compel the coal
barons to deliver.
THE Coal Dictator whom we are asked
to create may see to Ii that the retail
profteer does not overcharge US. but
who Is going to see that the wholesale
profiteer at the mines does not over
charge US for the coal coming into the
ri. IN..~r attn g.
accept the price handed him by the coal
barons'
Service on the Interborough lines may
be curtailed as result OF the coal
shortage, Senator Walker said. and II
| would be necessary to augment the
transportation companies with bus lines
Senator Downing interrupted 20 say that
the Inteerborough would be well taken
care OF by r. ]. Berwind, n director
and big coal operator.
II know that Berwind sells coal
Wholesale to the Interborough at retail
prices" Senator Walker said.
In the Senate all the amendments of
fered by the minority were voted down
on a slow roll call. Senators Katlin and
Lockwood OF New York were the only
Republicans who broke away from the
majority to support any of these amend
ments They favored the proposals that
cities be given power to buy and sell
coal and that New York city be granted
the right to raise Its debt limit for that
purpose.
Senator Katlln introduced as an
amendment to the Governors bill the
provision that former Gov. BENJAMIN
3. Odell be named as Fuel Admins
traitor and that he serve without pay.
Several Democrats supported this pro-
posal. but the majority voted soidly
against IL. Senator Fearon Of Syracuse
asked Senator Katlin II he had con-
suited with Mr.. Odell and had the
assurance that he would serve,
i mfr Odell has agreed to take the
position" said Mr.. Katlin. He did not
tell me so, but he told one who Is abso-
lutely responsible"
In explaining the opposition Of the
Republicans TO the Katln amendment
Senator Lusk declared that he ala not
want any one TO feel that the majority
did not have the highest regard for the
former Governor.
I'VE would all be delighted 10 see
Gov. Odeii In the position OF Fuel Ad-
ministrator II he would accept IT," Mr.
Lusk said. And that includes Gov.
Miller himself. who has been on the
friendliest terms with Mr.. Odell since
Gov. odeli appointed him State Comp
troller and started him on his political
career. There II no question as to the
way we feel toward Gov. Odell."
The amendment was lost. III TO G.
An amendment by Senator Cotillo
would prevent the Fuel Administrator
from suspendlng the housing law re-
auring New York city landlords to fur
nIsh hot water. heat and other com
forts called for IN the leases. Senator
Gothic declared the Legislature should
4 not give to any one man the power by