The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-08-10
Important To- Coal Users

Do you realize how serious is tn
coal situation in your state. not only
with reference to the matter of the
shortage of che general supply of
both hard and soft coal. but the diff
Guilty there well may be in obtaining
even modest supply to meet our ex-
IRENE necessities from now until
spring.
Governor Baxter has undertaken to
set up, in accordance with Federal
suggestion, an organization in the
state. through which coal must be Oh
tanned, If it is obtained at all He
needs, and is entitled to- the full.
hearty and unselfish cooperation of
every citizen of the state, and if YOU
who are users of coal obtain any sup
ply at all, you must so cooperate
f.. The Governor is asking each deal
err in hard coal to give him state
ment with reference to the supply on
hand in his yard and the require
ments OF his customers during the
winter. Unless this information is
promptly received, the Governor and
his Committee will be unable to give
the Federal Fuel Distributor the ne
cessary information unon which to
base the ALLEGATION to Maine of its
hard coal supply assuming that the
strike is settled, and there is any sup
ply. 1t is possible that no soft
coal will be received and distributed
except through the Federal Distribu-
tor, acting in conjunction with our
State of Maine Distribution Commit
tee. As the Federal regulation is
somewhat universally understood, the
Federal Distributor has absolute con-
troll OF the distribution of coal to the
several states. First comes rail-
road coal, and this will be alocated
and distributed direct from Washing
ton. Next comes the coal for pub
lie utilities. hosp tails, public institu-
tons, hotels, restaurants, and SINH
lar users, and next comes the indus
trial users, who are in the last class.
AS the Federal regulation is under
stood, there must be a Central State
Committee to which all hard and soft
coal will be consigned; and that com
mittee will see to tile distribution
within the state. This committee
must either make financial arrange
ments for the purchase of the coal,
or procure it through a guarantee of
the purchase price. Unless the
Governor and his Committee know i'm
mediately what your stock of coal is
at the present moment. and What your
requirements for the future are. he
will not be able to give to the Federal
Distributor the information necessary.
MI. III. IL. L.,
it's central committee in a position to
give accurate information of their sit
uation will in all probability be the
one to which the necessary supply
of coal will first begin to flow.
To those of you who feel that you
have a contract with some dealer or
with some operator, and that that
contract will be carried out, let me
say that there is considerable doubt
with reference to this. Many be-
lieve that coal SO purchased. even
if actually on its way to you, may
be taken by our Central Fuel Com
mittee, and distributed either to n
public utility which needs it, or to
others in a class above the industrial
user, and in that way coal purchased
by you, and already on the, way to
you may be diverted. In other
words, it is possible that our entire
supply of hard and soft coal will
have to be purchased and distributed
through this Central Committee, and
the industrial user who thinks he
has a binding contract may have to
take his chances, unless he operates
through this Central Committee.
In any event, the Governor and his
Committee ought to have immediate
ly the information from our indus
trial users of coal with reference to
the stock they now have on hand, and
their equirements for the future, to
the end that if the Federal Distri-
butor should rule that all coal, re-
CARELESS of existing contracts, must
be received by, and distributed thru,
these state central organizations, you
will be in a position to receive just
treatment in such distribution.
| therefore ask every industrial
user OF coal to Immediately, by wire,
give the Governor the information
herein outlined.
BENZ. r. CLEAVES,
Executive Secretary,
Associated Industries
of Maine.
Portland, Maine.
August 2, 1922.