The Washington herald., 1922-07-27
URGES HARD WORK
War Secretary Tells Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois to
Dig for Fuel.
l. C.. C.. ASKS STATES
FOR COOPERATION
Commerce Head Calls on
Governors to Aid in
Distribution.

TWO important developments
came yesterday in the coal strike
situation.
/. Secretary of War Weeks was
authority for a statement that such
States as Illinois. Indiana and Ohio
with large bituminous deposits
would be expected to mine their
own coal and would not be per-
mitted, under Tuesdays emergency
order, to obtain their supplies from
non-union States until they had
made every effort to relieve the
shortage by mining within their
own confines.
2. President Harding announced
the appointment of Secretary OF
Commerce Hoover. Attorney Cen
eral Daugherty. Secretary of the
Interior Fall and Commissioned
Aitchison. of the ]. c. c.. to act as
a national coal distribution COM
mittee to carry out Mr.. Hoover's
chairman.
ol " Weeks uc-
clared that those States which have
plenty of coal within their con-
fines must mine their own and
not expect to benefit by any as
sistance the Federal government Is
able to render by priority arrange
ments for shipping coal. They
must not sit idly by and complain
about their drastic mining laws
standing in the way of operations
Have Abundant supply.
The Secretary said in Ohio. In
diana and Illinois there were large
quantities of coal so near the sur
face that it could be mined by
steam shovels. These States, ht
said, through their own agencie:
should be able to AFFORD protection
to workers and to meet the needs
of the State for fuel.
with an abundant supply ot
coal at hand" the Secretary said
the State authorities can hardl!
expect the Federal government L
assist them in bringing coal from
say, West Virginia"
Secretary Weeks was asked con
iNPoik lhoN sui pAoS al hil
officers were to be used by th'
Fedora. government In carrying
out the governments priority plan
He said he had heard nothing o
such plan. further than tina
Secretary of Commerce Hoover ha,
suggested he might be able to us
a certain army officer. who is abou
to retire. in the administration o
the plan. Weeks said this office
was about to leaye the active serv
ice of the army and then would b.
available for such work as he care,
to take up.
VIII Name Another Member.
The government is now definitel
functioning in its direction c
freight shipments-coal and othe
necessities-during the crisis grow
ing out of the rail and mine strike'
A fifth member of the President
committee will be added later {
undertake the administrative di
rection and ii Is understood tina
wartime fuel administrator. Harr
A. Garfield, Is being considered 70
the post.
While the ultimate character O
the organization will depend upo
the situation confronting the natior
il already is active in beginnin
the admittedly diff1cult task ahea
of II.
Calls on Governors.
Secretary Hoover, as his firs
step toward decentralizing the or
ganization for equitable distribu
tion and maintenance of fair price
OF coal, sent a telegram to govern
ors of the States explaining tina
while distribution for railway us
will be directed from Washington
the responsibility for other distri
buttons. with the possible exception
of few interstate public utilitie.
will rest upon organizations set u
under State control.
simultaneously COMMISSIONS
Aitchison sent a telegram to tn
States utility commissions in tn
country asking cooperation in en-
forcing the priority orders.
The Interstate Commerce Com
mission" Aitchison wired, desire
to knows whether II local develop
ments connected with our genera
service orders require. We can rel
on having active assistance OF you
commission. This possibly may in
volVe survey, certification and pol
icing certain local needs under pri
ority orders issued or to be issued
The emergency Is most acute ant
requires the best efforts of all un-
der a common plan IL the distress
which will come is to be mitigated.'
Priorities Established.
Secretary Hoover in his Telegram
to governors stressed the anxiet,
OF the administration over the pos
sibility of profiteering growing ou
OF the coal shortage. After explain
Ing creation Of the coal committee
Hoover added:
Certain priorities have been es
tablished in necessary commoditiei
and fuel by the Interstate Commerc'
Commission. who have asked you
State Public Utilities Commission il
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion may have its active assistanc,
In the distribution of coal to trans
portation and public utilities and
governmental institutions of neces
sary.
Beyond this the Presidential
committee on coal distribution ar
cooperating with coal OPERATOR
and with the Interstate Commerc,
Commission in an endeavor to sc
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