Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-07-12
FUEL YARDS DENIED
IN WAR ON PRICES
Coal Consumers Proposal
Meets Interior Depart
ment Rebuff.

Use Of the government coal yards in
Washington as a means of fighting
high prices here. a proposal recently
brought forward by the newly formed
Coal Consumers League, similar to
methods conceived by other civic or
ganizations at various times, was an
nounced to be an obvious impossi-
bility'' today by officials of the Inte-
rior Department, under whose juris-
diction come the federal fuel stations
The plan as conceived by the Coal
Consumers League would make il
possible for all government employees
to obtain their coal from the govern
ment depots at wholesale prices, thus
greatly diminishing the demand or
private coal concerns, with resulting
decrease in prices for all citizens OF
the District. Such use of the gov
eminent yards, however, would be i'm
possible. interior Department official.
maintain, without a special act OF
Congress, and the eyentuality of such
an act they believe to be extremely
remote, since there has never beer
any disposition on the part of Con-
gress to make allowances for main
tenance of government workers
Coal. 1t was pointed out. was nc
more likely to be supplied fedora
employees than housing, food AND
commissary stores.
Yards Created In 1913.
The government coal yards il
Washington were created by an &C
Of Congress effective July 1. 1918, t.
supply federal and District buildings
1t was an economical measure to CO
ordinate the purchase Of fuel which
had been handled previously by fifty
or more agencies for the various de.
partments of the two governments
BY the wording of the act, 1t was
shown at the department today tina,
none other. than these government
buildings could be served by the
yards. the act reading:
THE Secretary of the Interior IL
authorized to establish in the Dis.
trtct of Columbia storage and dis.
tributing yards, for storage OF fuel
for use of and delivery to all branches
of the federal service and the mu.
nicipal government in the District OF
Columbia and such parts thereof as
may be situated Immediately with.
out the District of Columbia and eco.
nomically can be supplied therefrom
and to select, purchase, contract fol-
and distribute all fuel required BY
said services"
Federal Stations Only.
Department officials pointed out thai
on several occasions the controller
of the currency had been asked fol
rulings on this act in an effort t
supply coal to local institutions which
were not of purely governmental
nature. but which were partially
maintained by government appropria
tions, such as hospitals, and in eacf
case 1t was ruled that the coal sta.
tions could not be used for such pur.
poses. With these rulings at hand
the officials felt confident the effor'
to use such coal for individuals would
be met with immediate rebuff.
AS an argument for government EN-.
ployeS using government coal, 1t has
been pointed out that Army and Navy
officers have such privilege anG
this might be extended to others also
Members of the branches of the serv.
Ice, however, were granted the right
to get coal from the government, II
obtainab1e, wherever they are sta
toned, by an act of Congress. which
also granted the Communication OF
quarters and commissary privileges
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