The Monmouth inquirer., 1922-09-07
MILLER FUEL
PLAN ADOPTED
Legislature Passes Bill Creating
Fuel Head and Gives Him
States Police Powers.
TO BUY AND SELL COAL
clty's Housing Laws Regarding Heat
and Hot Water Not Affected, Ex-
ecutive DecIares-$fo,ooo, 900
Fund to Buy and Sell Fuel.

Albany, N. Y.-Governor Miller, by
action Of the extraordinary session Of
the legislature, is authorized to appoint
for New York State fuel administra-
tor with powers such as were never
conferred on any public official in this
state before.
The full police powers of the state
are turned over to this official in the
selling and distribution of coal, and to
make certain the constitutionality of
the act an emergency was declared to
have resulted from the railroad and
coal strikes.
The governors Coal Administration
bill, passed unanimously by both
houses of the legislature, was placed
in the chief executives hands, and he
signed it Immediately. The bill creates
revolving fund of $10,000O00 for the
purchase and sale of coal.
While the governor intends to ppt
the machinery into operation without
delay, he announced after the adjourn
ment that he had not chosen fuel
administrator. 1t was predicted that
the announcement of the fuel dictator
would be complete surprise.
The governor expressed high salts
faction with the work of the legsla-
-ture. The Democrats offered numerous
amendments, but all were voted down,
ard in the end the minority supported
the governors bill on the ground that
it was the best measure they could get.
Among the amendments which
aroused the interest Of the governor
was that of Senator Cotillo, prohibiting
the coal administrator from suspending
the housing law requiring that land
lords furnish heat, hot water and ele-
I vator service when called for in the
| lease.
This amendment, although voted
| down in the senate 81 to 21, was sup
! ported by Senator Lockwood and other
Republicans from New York City.
| They object to any possibility of the
breaking down of the housing laws,
| declaring that the landlords could ger
| sufficient protection in the courts in
case they are unable TO buy coal to
| fulfil their leases. Governor Miller
| declared that under the Coal Admins
| tration bill there was nothing that
could lead to the notification of any
of the housing laws.
"The housing laws" he said, make
| 1t a penal offense for landlord to
refuse wilfully to supply heat, hot
| if the landlord cannot get coal he is
not wilfully depriving his tenant of
that service. The fuel administrato:
may be obliged to cut down some Of
the service in an apartment. The act
passed simply prevents doubt regard
ing these statutes and makes clear
what is already obvious. / see no way
for a landlord to evade service under
its provisions"
Questioned about his message, Gov
ernOr Miller said he meant no criticism
of the Federal government in its han
ding of the coal situation and that he
was sorry If any part of his message
was so construed.
The legislature completed its work
and adjourned within three hours after
convening. The assembly was through
an hour ahead Of the senate In the
whole proceeding there was only one
ripple on the smooth surface of Repuo-
lican unity. Several upstate Repub-
licans objected to the fuel admins
traitor having control over the sale Of
wood The bill provides that any per-
son'who sells wood as fuel must obtain
a license, the same as though he were
selling coal The objections were
quickly squelehed by Speaker Machold,
and profteering in wood is prohibited
the same as in coal. 1t is said that
because of the coal shortage the price
of wood has jumped from $12 to So
cord in the last few weeks.
Under the new law the fucl 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
nIPru DATE EAlIc nEE