Evening star., 1943-08-29
0PA Limits Deliveries
OF Coal TO Homes
In Il Eastern States
BY the Associated Press.

6S tle Associated Press.
The Office of Price Admins
tration last night clamped re-
strictions on the delivery of
anthracite to householders in
the District, Maryland, Virginia
and 10 other Northeastern
States between September l and
December l to prevent some con-
sumers from getting the entire
retail supply while others live in
heatless homes.
Affecting only hard coal, the pri-
ority order limits deliveries to con-
sumers having less than half their
seasons supply in the bin.'
The order, effective from Septem-
Der i, was issued by authority of
the War Production Board, which
specified that no coupon rationing
system should be started until
specifically requested" The con-
trolls may be extended or dropped
after December l, depending on the
hard coal supply situation at that
time.
Preference Ruling.
Dealers are required to fill orders
first from those consumers who have
on hand less than one-fourth of
the amount burned during the base
year"-the IL months ended March
81, 1943. Second preference must
be given persons who have on hand
25 per cent but less than so per
cent of last seasons consumption.
The dealers, who are solely re-
sponsible for enforcement of the
priority system, are forbidden to
deliver anthracite to dwellings
which already have on hand SO
per cent or more of the base years
supply or to those which would have
more than SO per cent if the deliv-
cry were made.
; Besides the District, Maryland and
Virginia, the order applies to Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massa-
chusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island,
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
and Delaware.
When ordering anthracite, the
purchaser is required to tell the
dealer the amount he wishes to buy,
the amount he used during the base
year and the amount on hand. A
signed statement confirming this
must be furnished the dealer within
seven days, at the time of or before
delivery.
Recommended by Ickes.
The OPA order was the result of
recommendation issued by Fuel Ad-
ministrator Ickes to WPB, which in
turn transmitted them to the ra-
tioning agency. MIR. Ickes estimated
that 100000 tons of hard coal
would be available for domestic con-
sumers in the three-month period.
Dealers were prohibited from
discriminating against consumers
whose old dealers have gone out of
business, those who have converted
from Oil to coal heat and those who
have recently moved into residences
using coal-burning equipment.
The so per cent limitation is
waived In cases where a consumer,
when getting the, smallest single
load which he normally has ordered
in the past, would thereby get more
than so per cent. In no case, how
ever, may any delivery made before
November l, 1943, bring the total
on hand to more than rs per cent.
Waivers Allowed.
The signed statement to the
dealer will be waived for any con-
sumer who used not more than three
tons Of anthracite in the base period
and who has not acquired more than
Ia tons since September /, 1943.
If person did not use anthracite
during the base year, he may sub
stitute, when ordering, an estimate
of the amount he will need from
April /, 1943, to March 81, 1914.
Mr.. Ickes simultaneously revised
the anthracite distribution regula-
ton by restricting the amount which
producers and wholesalers can ship
to retailers for domestic use to not
more than 90 per cent of their re-
quirements in the base year.
Producers having an excess will
deliver to the customers of other
producers whose output would other
wise be insufficient to supply the 80
per cent. Anthracite in transit at
that time the order goes into effect
nav ha 6eliyare1