Evening star., 1922-08-25
MICHIGAN CRITIC
SCORED BY HOOVER
State Has Had Double Quota
of Available Coal, Says
Secretary.
NO MILLS CLOSED DOWN
Administrator Asked to Correct
Impression Caused by As
sertions.

Secretary Hoover sent a telegram to
William w. Potter. state fuel admin
istrator for Michigan. yesterday. In
which he replied to Mr.. Potter's recent
criticism Of federal fuel distributing
methods, and told Mr.. Potter that he
was grossly misnformed" as to the
coal situation. He asked that impress
sions Of bad faith gained from Mr.. Pot
ter's statements be corrected.
Mr.. Hoover. in his reply. as reported
by the Associated Press, explained that
the federal fuel distributor had had less
than a million tons Of coal a week avail
able for distribution outside OF the
states in which it was produced, and
told the Michigan fuel administrator
that despite this situation there has
not been a single shutdown Of the es-
sential class of consumers in your state
or elsewhere" He added that because
the federal fuel distributor had refused
to allow your state to draw coal for
other purposes to the prejudice of other
be drawn upon is no warranty for
personal attack upon Mr.. Spencer and
his staff"
Available Conl Limited.
'If you are correctly reported in
the press" said Mr.. Hoover in his
telegram to Mr.. Potter. lit appears to
me that you are grossly misinformed
as to the whole coal situation during
the past months. Over and above the
states for their own use the federal
distributor has had available for ex-
port from such states less than 1,OOe,-
900 tons per week. The needs of the
non producing states for railways.
utilities, public institutions and vital
a1 X l.
900 tons a week. Yet by incessant
shifting of supplies through super
priorities to meet emergencies ana
insisting that these categorles draw
upon their stocks. all these services
have been maintained through the ma
ton and there has not been single
shutdown of this class of consumers
in your state or elsewhere.
Free from any coal operators in
fuence, the whole surplus of coal from
producing states is under the priority
rules of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. in which you have partici-
pated. and the operators who have
Voluntarily co-operated in distribu-
ton have had no control of the des-
tiny of coal except to insist on pay
ment. The inability to work your
guarantee fund is solely due to your
non compliance with the rulings OF
the controller of the currency:
THE operators who have co-operat-
ed have furnished your state coal at
$3.50 a ton. while non-co- operating
operators have demanded and re-
ceived as high as 50 ton, of which
without any federal authority they
cannot be controlled. There is little
reason why you should reflect upon
the decent men who have served you
states Share Excessive.
Your state has. as matter OF fact.
had double its mathematical percent
Rage of coal available.
"If you had desired to receive su
per priority distribution for the state
of Michigan based on the relative
consumption of that state to other
states. disregarding the relative need.
| l have no doubt that Mr.. Spencer
would have much preferred to place
| you on such a basis as you would
have received less coal. l am. how
! ever. convinced that you have not
| realized the acute situation during
| the past month and that after consd-
| GRAFTON you will correct the impress
! sion you have given, for l haze no
doubt it emanates from n jealous and
I natural desire to serve Michigan first,
and charges of bad faith do not make
for cooperation that must be main
| tanned If the emergency in your state
! Is to be met.
Owing to the resumption of work
| in the bituminouS fields the supply
| will now improve and the drastic re-
| vision with you OF the small amount
of coal through super-prjorities will
| be confined after Monday only to up
| per lake shipments. You will thus
| have the whole responsibility of your
! own coal supplies within such regula-
! tions as the Interstate Commerce
Commission may impose"
POTTER IN SHARP REPLY