The New York herald., 1922-08-30
Miller Not Decided on Who
Will Be Administrator,
but Will Act Quickly.
RENT LAW UNAFFECTED
Executive Denies Measure AL
lows Landlords to Reduce
Heating Service.
Special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
An {

Special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany, Aug. 90.
The Legislature voted unanimously
to-day to enact Gov. Miller's recon-
mendation creatingfa fuel dictator
and a $1O.000.ooo revolving fund to
finance the buying and selling of coal.
The Democratic minority made futile
attempts to substitute the Hylan coal
program, attacked the Governors bill
and then turned about and voted to
tho last man for it.
by the terms Of the law the Gov
ernor is authorized through the coal
administrator whom he will name to
take complete charge Of the fuel sup
ply in this State and apportion 1t
down to the last ounce for the public
need. The bill. setting up all the
machinery in this elaborate system,
was sent Immediately to the
Governors desk and he signed it
within an hour Of the adjournment OF
the Legislature. The new Fuel Admin
istrator will be appointed and prob
ably will be at work by the end OF
this week.
IT am not yet ready to announce the
name OF the man who will take up the
duties of Fuel Administrators" the Gov
ernor said. "The Legislature has
given fine exhibition of the way to
meet an emergency"
Does Not Change Housing Law.
Tho Governor was Interested in the
criticism Of the measure as made by
Senator Lockwood and others to the er-
feet that the Fuel Administrator could
nullify those sections OF the housing
laws, also passed as an emergency
measure. compelling landlords to fur
nish hot water. heat and elevator SER
vice. The Governor looked UP the pro-
visions In his bill and studied over them
for few moments and then said
The bill does not make any such pro-
vision. No law is changed. The hous-
ing statutes make II penal offense for
a landlord TO refuse willfully to supply
heat. hot water and elevator service
Obviously. II the landlord cannot get
coal he f. not willfully depriving his
tenant OF that service The Fuel Ad-
ministrator may be obliged to cut down
some OF the service IN an apartment
The act passed simply prevents doubt
regarding these statutes and makes
Gear what Is already obvious ] see
no way for n landlord 70 evade proper
service under its provisions"
The Governor said he had no inten-
tion In his message of criticizing the
Federal Administration or Congress for
the way In which the fuel situation had
been handled In Washington.
mo criticism was Intended" said the
Governor. "and / am sorry that any
part of my message could have been
construed as criticizipg"
Under the new law the Fuel Admin
istrator has authority to organize what
ever force he requires to meet the sit
uation. 1t Is probable the State will be
divided into several zones and that a
deputy will be named for each. The
salaries for the subordinates will be
fixed by the administrator with the Gov
ernor's approval. only few days will
be required to set the machinery In mo-
tion. and In another week the new Off
cials will be distributing the available
coal supply arriving in all the markets.
One Possible Complications.
Only one obstacle has so far arisen
which presents n possibility OF any COM
plications The administrators office is
empowered to seize all shipments Of coal
coming within the State. This Is inter-
preted to mean that all interstate ship
ments OF cargocs. including even train
load ailotments OF coal 10 the New Eng
land States and Canada. for example.
could be seized by the State authorities
and used here. The result might be that
the shippers would experience some diff
fculty in transporting their coal 10
Canada and the Eastern States without
passing through New York. II is pointed
out. however. that the same provision
would make II impossible for coal oper
ators to discriminate against New York
because Of the price fixing statute here
and send coal TO other States where a
larger price could be obtained. III such
were attempted the coal
would be seized here.
The Governor has not intimated even