New Britain herald., 1922-08-28
FORD WOULDN'T BUY
 COAL IF HE COULD
Too High--Charges Roads and
 Operators in Plot

betTolt, Aug, 2S-lne announce
 ment by Henry Ford that inability tt
 obtain coal in sufficient quantities to
 sether with the high cost of steel will compel him to close his se"era
 plants On Saturday September lG, fol an indefinite period is looked upon ai
 the real beginning of an industria
 crisis.
 Although none otheI of the large industries of Detroit or Michigan ha. isSued any formal drnouncenr,i, il IS well known that they all ar, be. ginning to fc"l the pinch, ani state. IT nets that other concerns may SCOT follow the decision of Mir. Ford will cause no surprise. MT. Ford would
 not buy coa now if he could at the present high price.
 Coal shipments .itt Detroit a the fwenty-four hour pe;icd ending S>,Lr ( ay noon wAro 3h5 'ars, abort two thirds of tiie cily's entire neadJ for immediate con on'umrt'cn. This wa ''e largest col. thpment into Det'C.' for
 early two weeks. nly two priority cH' cerns hay, beer granted ,nai by he Federal Fuel I.stributor. They are the Detroit Edison company and the Detroit Reduction company which disposes of the citys garage ard refuse.
 Alex Dow, president and general manager of the Detroit Edison com pany has issued warning that his company may soon be compelled 10 refuse electric power to all non .es- sential industries, and possibly some industries classified as essential.
 John Lovett. secretary and man. ngcr of the Michigan Manufacturers association, declared further curtaii- :nent of industries throughout the state inevitable. William Porter, Istatc fuel administrator, said the board has awarded to all essential Michigan industries barely enough real to operate only the gas and cleo triC plants under ordinary conditions.
 Plans for Rationing.
 At meeting Monday of 161 Detroit dealers, which will be attended by Gov. Groesbeck, plans will be formed for rationing coal to all Detroit con- sumers. Figures show that coal now in the hands of Detroit retailers is Jess than percent. of the normal supply in yards at this time of the year No consumer, including house dealers. will be permitted to possess more than a thirty day supply, ac- cording to a statement by Gov. Groes- beck.
 T hope and believe that I can pre- vail upon the coal dealers of Michi- gan to keep the price of domestic coal at a fair figure, but as have said before, the state administration does not intend to tolerate profiteer- ing" he said.
 Gov. Groesbeck said he believed it vii be far easier for the state to pre- vent profiteering in coal if the fed eral fuel administration at Washing ton relinquishes control of the fuel situation Monday, as intimated in dispatch sent by Henry B. Spencer, federal fuel administrator, to State Federal Administrator Potter. Heads of automotive industries do not ex- ptCl tO pt lOlltu to SlIhl OONIl lllcIl huge plants in the near future. Some of the largest industries have suffi- cient fuel on hand and in transit to assure operation for from thirty days to three months. They believe their supplies will be replenished at least in part before they are forced to close
 Howard E. CoGin, vice president of the Hudson Motor Car company. said that the Hudson plant has a reason able" supply of coal on hand. and is not in immediate danger of shutting down; but he would not venture to forecast the probable situation two weeks hence.
 Bars Proftcering.
 Tn statement by Gov. Groesbeck yesterday afternoon announcement was made that if the control of coal is turned back to the individual states Monday, Michigan will attempt to regulate prices only.
 "No profiteering in coal, elimina- ton of all red tape and restrictions, use of regular channels of business of of coal for Michigan, will be the program said the governor. "A price of s6 to s9 at the mines is an outrage. shall use all my off cial power to see that consumers get coal a reasonable prices'
 A priority order for 10000 tons of coal for the Detroit Edison company has been approved in Washington. That company is getting less than half their regular supply now, and | reserve stock is rapidly declining. | This company furnishes power to a great many Detroit industries, also to the tunnel locomotives of the Michigan Central railroad.
 From Henry Ford yesterday came the statement that he would not buy coal at present even if he could get it because the price is too high. He again charged railroads and mine op- orators with collision to keep up the | prices. Seven to nine dollars per ton | at the mines, said Ford, is gouging | and extreme profiteering
 There is no use trying to balk i railroads and mine operators" said | he. They are in agreement to keep the price up. I am tired of trying to do business with them. They have | baked the public at every turn. They | have compelled me to lay off in definitely, with winter not far away | about 7o,000 workers. It was the | only thing I could do.''