Evening star., 1922-07-23
BY WILL r. kENNEDY.

A MEXICAN industries are in a
~ most precarious situation re-
n garding their coal supply. be-
cause the coal in storage is
down to the very sweeping of the
bins. and the lowest it has ever been
since records were kept by the geo-
logical survey.
IF the union miners do not go back
to work before August 1, and the rail-
roads do not furnish adequate trans
portation facilities, the industries
few isolated cases. will be crippled,
according to those who have for
months been concentrating their at
tention on the fuel problem.
This points to the very grave prob
ability that some government agency
will be called upon to ration coal
where it is most needed. When that
day comes the Chamber of Commerce
of the United States hopes to be able
10 assist the federal agency in having
definite knowledge as to where there
Is the most dire need. The national
chamber is now having local commit
tees of leading business men make
surveys in every industrial commun-
ity to show what the real need is.
Back of Hoover Plan.
In these days of worried waiting
the organized business men of the
country are urged by julius H.
Barnes, president of the Chamber of
Commerce of the United States. to
realize the individual responsibility
of the industrial consumers to pre-
vent a runaway market--which means
extortionate prices-and to back up
secretary Hoover's plan. in co-opera-
ton with producers. wholesalers and
retailers. This suggestion by Secre-
tary Hoover to the public utilities.
railroads and metallurgical industries
was that they each appoint buyers
committee authorized to secure and
distribute such coal as is needed by
the operating plants in the respective
industries.
While these are the three largest
group users of coal. Mr. Barnes points
out in a letter sent to 400 organiza-
tions, about 500 of which are local
chambers of commerce having MEM
bership, including all kinds of in
dustries. and about 500 trade asso-
cations, either state or national. In
their scope. such as the National Shoe
Manufacturers or the National Manu-
facturers' Association there are many
ether industrial and individual con-
sideration. Owing to the varied char
acter and the widely scattered loca-
ton of these consumers their inter-
ests can best be served by their local
chambers of commerce and trade or
sanizations. he says. with whom they
are associated or with whom they can
make contact.
Fuel Committee Urged.
In view of the possibility OF the
strike continuing until coal supplies
have become exhausted-which IS cal
culated to be about August 1-Mr.
Barnes urged that the situation should
he anticipated. In the absence of
other machinery, he has advised all
fbe underlying business organizations
Of the national chamber. each to ap-
point a fuel committee to survey the
conditions relative to the stocks on
hand and needs in each community, or
Industry; and further, that this infor-
nation be compiled so that in the
event 1t is found necessary for sys-
tenn of federal rationing the data may
be readily available. The national re-
sources production department of the
national chamber of which W. DUB.
Brookings is manager, and particu-
larly the coal bureau. of which Maj.
Clarence T. Starr is chief. are keeping
IN close touch with the general situa-
iion regarding prospective industrial
coal famine and through these COM