Evening star., 1950-02-20
u. S. Prepares Coal Crackdown
As judge Continues Restrainer;
Soft Coal Rationing Begins Here
Commercial Users
Given Priorities
By Commissioners

4lIC SOlliIlliSSIOllClo UOOdy VI
dered rationing Of soft coal to
commercial users in the District
to meet critical shortage.
The stock-pile of soft coal in
the hands of dealers here amounts
to only about weeks supply, the
Commissioners stated. Hard coal
is not considered in short supply.
Coal dealers, after a conference
at the Burlington Hotel, agreed to
the rationing plan.
Private Home Problem.
The problem of private homes
heated by coal has not been
worked out.
Indications are those consumers
will have to utilize other types of
coal, although the results may not
be as satisfactory. Details on this
problem were to be worked out
later today.
The rationing plan does not
affect District or Federal Govern
ment buildings. The Govern
ment's stockpile of soft coal is
estimated at about a three weeks
supply. The Commissioners last
week ordered that District gov
ernment buildings must not be
heated above 68 degrees.
Five Categories.
To put the rationing into effect
the Commissioners set up prior
tiles for five categories of soft
coal users. They were as follows:
No. Hospital, orphanages
and homes for the aged.
No. 2-Dairies, bakeries and
other industries essential to the
health and welfare of citizens.
No. s. Apartment houses,
boarding, rooming and lodging
houses, dormitories of colleges
and schools, hotels. hothouses,
laundries. Office buildings, mon
asteries and converts, agents of
publicity. including newspaper
Offices and radio stations, and
restaurants.
No. 4-Churches, schools and
colleges, stores. department
and related shops and non-es-
essential industry.
No. 5-Amusement establish
ments.
Old Plan Replaced.
In presenting the request tc
the coal dealers, the Commis-
sioners stated:
ut is essential to the health
and welfare of the city that more
drastic rationing be put into ef-
feet"
Last week the Commissioners
asked the dealers to institute a
mild form of voluntary ration
ing, but that plan is replaced by
today's announcement.
Should a coal purchaser not
fall into any of the priorities, OF
if dealer is uncertain as tc
which priority the customer be-
longs. the Commissioners asked
the dealers to contact the Dis
trict Fuel Co-ordinating Com
mittee.
The dealers also were asked te
set aside 1000 tons of soft Goa.
for the sole use of priorities No
/ and No. 2 land for such other
emergencies as may develop"
The Co-ordinating Committee
the Commissioners stated. viii
issue certificates to individual
dealers covering individual user.
belonging to priorities No. l anc
No. 2.
Priority No. l users will receive
up to three weeks supply of Goa
needed for normal usage.
Priority No. 2 users will get de.
livery of not more than three day.
supply.
Must Have Certificate
Those in the priority No. 3 clas.
will receive only 80 percent O.
their normal demand and no
more than a three day supply a
one time. Delivery of this amour
of coal will be made only on re.
ceipt of certificate that the Goa
on hand is less than three day'!
supply.
Dealers will refer all orders from
users in Priority and 5 to tn,
Fuel Co-ordinating Committee, tn,
Commissioners stated. No orders
to users in these categories viii
be filled by dealers without a Ger,
tiflcate from the committee.
The Commissioners said thes,
priorities and rules were developed
"after careful consultation" with
the coal dealers and after careful