Evening star., 1954-04-26
Governors Set
For Briefing on
Major Issues
Nixon Will Open
Sessions Tomorrow;
Drought to Be Topic
eV the Assoeioted Press

ev the Assoeioted Press
The Nations State and terri
torial Governors assembled here
today to be briefed on major
government problems and to ask
questions about Indo-C China, SUBJ
versives, taxes and other issues.
The special meetings behind
closed doors will last three days.
The brief1ngS will not get under
way until tomorrow, but Presi-
dent Eisenhower is having an
initial conference with the State
heads at a dinner at the White
House tonight.
The President started the
briefing idea a year ago. Frank
Bane, secretary to the regular
Governors Conference, said it
was such a success that the Gov
ernorS asked for an opportunity
to be brought up to date and to
quiz Vice President Nixon. cab
met officers and other key off,
cialS.
Reporters to Be Barred.
Reporters will be barred from
the brief1ng sessions, but the
White House says Gov. Dan
Thornton of Colorado, chairman
of the Governors Conference.
and Mr.. Bane will talk to re-
porterS after each morning and
afternoon session.
The Vice President will speak
at the opening briefing session
tomorrow morning in the presi-
dental news conference room
in the old State Department
building next to the White House.
After each speech there will be
questions and discussion.
Several side meetings of Gov
ernors will be held, starting to-
day, to discuss such things as
the western drought and dust
storms, how to revive the ailing
coal industry, and plans for the
regular annual Governors Con-
ference to be held July lila at
Lake George. N. Y.
The President scheduled a
drought conference during the
day with the Governors of Colo
RADIO, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas
and New Mexico.
A coal industry spokesman
called on the Governors of l6
coal-producing States at a re-
gional meeting in the Statler
Hotel, to join in immediate ac-
ton to stem unfair" competi-
ton from low-priced foreign oil
in the name of national security.
Foreign Residual Oil.
Tom Pickett. executive vice
president of the National Coal
Association, said foreign residual
oil is the unfair competitive
factor" mainly responsible for a
slump in United States coal out
put from total of 700 million
tons in 1947 to 470 million tons
last year.
Mr.. Pickett said that not only
did the industry's ills have a
widespread bad effect on the
Nations economy. but that "the
flood of foreign residual oil into
this country :. imperils the Ma
tons security by building up un-
wise dependence on foreign oil
sources"
Coal is the keystone of our
national economy" he said, but
once mines are shut down they
cannot be easily reopened to help
the country in time of emergency.
Residual OIL is what is left
after crude oil has been refined
to make products like Gasoline,
household heating oil. kerosene
and so forth. The remaining. or
residual oil, is then sold mainly
to industrial installations which
otherwise might be Using coal.
Frank w. Earnest, president
OF the Anthracite Institute, said
in a statement prepared for the
meeting that the fuel oil imports
! "by half a dozen major oil COM
panieS" are used primarily by
electric power utilities and in
duStrial plants. Such fuel oil
imports, he said. are now
flooding the Atlantic seaboard."
Closing of Coal Companies.
He noted that many coal
companies are being forced to
close by the diminishing market
for their product, and that with
10000 miners now unemployed
the situation has become a ma
tional problem.
If it is not corrected, Mr..
Earnest said, there may not be
enough of the coal industry left
after few years to take up the
burdens which will inevitably be
thrust upon it.
In that connection, the head
OF the anthracite producers
group claimed that ultimately
coal must directly, or in synthetic
form, supplant the waning
resources of oil and gas. This
would indicate a splendid long
term future for coal, but what
disturbs many producers in the
coal industry is whether they
can survive the short-term
period"
UNIV Issues Statement.
The United Mine Workers said
in a statement yesterday that
the Government should establish
a national fuels policy to bail the
coal industry out of its current
economic fight.
The union said the interna.
tional situation makes it man.
datory that the American coal
industry be kept strong and eff
cient in order to meet the fuel
and energy needs of our Nation
and of our allies" and it added.
THE Communist appressors