The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-09-07
MILLER FUEL
PLAN ADOPTED
Legislature Passes Bill Creating
Fuel Head and Gives Him
States Police Powers.

Albany y 1.--EuYernur Miller, Dt
actlon Of the extraordinary session Of
the legislature, is authorized 70 appoini
for New York STATE a fuel admlnistra
tor with powers such as we're never
conferred on any public official In this
state before.
The full police powers Of the state
are turned over 70 this Official In the
selling and distribution Of coal. and 70
make certain the cOnstltutlonallty ot
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 II Immediately The bill creates
a revolving fund Of Sl0OO0.0OO for the
purchase and sale Of coal
While the governor Intends 20 put
the machinery into operation without
delay. be announced after the adjourn
ment that he had not chosen a fuel
administrator. II was predicted that
the announcement OF the fuel dictator
would be a complete surprise.
The governor expressed high salts
faction with the work OF the legisia-
fure. The Democrats offered numerous
amendments. but all were voted down,
and In the end the minority supported
the governors bill on the ground that
IL was the best measure they could get.
Among the amendments which
aroused the interest OF the governor
was that OF Senator Cotlllo, prohibiting
the coal administrator from suspendlng
the housing law requiring that land
lords furnish heat. hot water and ele
vator service when called for In the
lease
This amendment. although voted
down in the senate q 10 81, was sup
ported by Senator Lockwood and other
Republicans from New York City
They object 20 any possibility of the
breaking down OF the housing laws,
declaring that the landlords could get
sufficient protection In the courts In
case they are unable TO 5uy coll to |
fullfil their leases. Governor Miller
declared that under the Coal Admlnts-
tratlon bill there was nothing that
could lead to the nullIfcatlon OF any
of the housing laws.
''The housing laws" he said. make
81 a penal offense for a landlord to |
refuse wllfully 10 supply heat, hot
water and elevator servlce Obviously. |
II the landlord cannot get coal he is
not wllfully depriYing his tenant OF |
that service The fuel administrator |
may be obliged 10 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
Tor a landlord 10 eyade service under
It's provisions"
Questioned about his message, Gov
ernor Miller said he meant no criticism
OF the Federal government In It's han
ding OF the coal situation and that he
was sorry II any part Of his message
Was 30 construed.
The legislature completed It's work
and adjourned within three hours after
The assembly was through
al hour ahead OF the senate. In the l
whole proceeding there was only one
ripple on the smooth surface OF Repub-
lican unity. Several upstate Repub-
lirans objected to the fuel admlnls-
traitor having control over the sale Of
wood The bill provides that any per
son who sells wood as fuel must obtain
4 license. the same as though he were
selling coal The objections were
quickly squelched by Speaker Machold,
and profieering In wood Is prohibited
the same as In coal. II Is said that
because OF the coal shortage the price
Df wood has jumped from sl2 to 50
! cord In the last few weeks
Under the new law the fuc' admin !
Istrator has authority 10 organize what
ever force he requires 10 meet the sit
natiOn. II Is probable the state will be
divided Into several zones and that a
deputy will be named for each.