June 15, 1918





RECORD   AND   GUIDE





757





To Regulate Fuel, Transportation and Labor

War Industries Board, Fuel Administration and Railroad Admin¬
istration Unite on Program for Eastern District





* PROGRAM to aid in co-ordinating the fuel
Z\ transportation and labor problems in the East
by regulating the expansion of industries
engaged in war work within a restricted area, which
includes many of the great manufacturing centers of
the New England states, New York, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, was announced this
week in a joint statement by the War Industries Board
and the fuel and railroad administrations.

An official statement issued through the fuel admin¬
istration reads:

"The following is authorized by the War Industries
Board, the United States Fuel Administration and the
United States Railroad Administration:

"A pohcy has been adopted and made effective for
preventing further increase in the volume of war orders
and the number of estabhshments handling them in
the area known as the congested manufacturing and
transportation district. This district comprises the
New England states. Eastern and Southern New York,
Pennsylvania as far west as Williamsport and Altoona,
all of New Jersey and Delaware and Eastern Mary¬
land, not including Baltimore.

"Exceptions to this policy will be made only if un¬
avoidable through inability otherwise to provide for
war needs.

"The congested district comprises those eastern
states in which so large a proportion of war industries
is located as to make it difficult to supply all with
necessary raw material and fuel. This difficulty obtains
because coal for those industries is mined in the terri¬
tory west of the Allegheny Mountains. It must be
carried into this congested district by a limited number
of railway lines and by ships from Hampton Roads and
Baltimore.

"The amount of coal, therefore, which can be trans¬
ported into this congested area during any one season
is limited and is an entirely separate problem from the
production of coal. However much coal is mined in
Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, only
so much is available for this congested district as the
railroads and ships can transport into it.

"A careful analysis of the possible coal movement
shows that the increased industrial activity in those
eastern states has created a requirement for coal which





exceeds the limit of possible transportation of coal, plus
necessary materials for manufacture."

Because of the great demand for materials, fuel and
labor for the war industries, expansion of the less
essential industries was limited some time ago, and
curtailment in that direction is being put into effect.
The new program will place the Government in posi¬
tion to dictate the activities of plants producing war
supplies. The establishment of new industries in the
zone may be prohibited.

New York City is included in the restricted area.
Only the industries in the extreme southern and eastern
section of the state are affected. A map will be pub¬
lished soon, giving the boundaries of the entire
restricted area in detail. It is stated that industries
producing about 90 per cent, of the war supplies are
brought within the restrictions made.

Statements have been issued on numerous occasions
by the fuel administration that radical curtailment was
proposed and that many industries must not expect a
full allotment of coal. An official announcement shows
that the results accomplished were as follows:

"Fuel-saving work already done by the Conserva¬
tion Bureau to June 1, 1918:

"Clay products and sanitary ware, window glass,
boxboard.

"Temporary arrangements with automobile industry,
brewers, piano manufacturers.

"Lightless nights.

"Skip-stop  (electricity).

"Centralization of power plants.

"Economy in steam plants.

"Economy by domestic consumers."

Control in the future of all coal delivery priorities by
the War Industries Board was announced yesterday in a
joint statement by the Board and the Fuel Administra¬
tion. A new priority list issued with the statement does
not differ materially from the list in force since the
shutdown order last winter.

Preference in deliveries will be given in the following
order:

Railroads, army and navy, and other departments of.
the Government, State, and county departments and
institutions, public utilities, retail dealers, manufactur¬
ing plants on the War Industries Board's preference list
and those not included on the Board's list.





Next Winter's Coal Supply—Just What to Expect

(Continued from Page 756)





rent coal year as made and now publicly announced by the
Anthracite Committee is as follows:

The allotment for New York, New Jersey and the New
England States of domestic anthracite for all purposes
for the current coal year compared with coal year 1916-
1917 is as follows:





Maine   ..........

New   Hampshire.

Vermont    .......

Massachusetts ..
Rhode Island.. .,
Connecticut    ....

New   York......

New Jersey   ....







1916-1917




Allotment










Distribution




1918-1919




Increase





(Gross Tons)




(Gross Tons)




1   PerCt.





556.683




660,000




18.56





314.945




375.000




19.07





316.850




330,000




4.15





5.027.993




5,689.000




13.15





664.008




800,300




20.53





1.952.900




2.476.700




26.82





14.169,809




15,855,300




11.89





4,961,622




5,460,784




10.04





Totals   .................      27,964,810       31,647,084        13.16

The statement adds:

"With this statement of the situation and announce¬
ment of the measures which will be pursued to meet it,
the Anthracite Committee is conscious that the plan can
not be successful under the circumstances—labor shortage,
consequent inability to much increase production of an¬
thracite and unusual demands for it—unless there shall be
earnest and active cooperation by all concerned. This
means by State and local fuel administrations, dealers and
consumers, each and all of whom must help to see that
anthracite is confined to its most essential uses and that





in consumption it shall be conserved and made to go as
far as possible.

"Otherwise there will be a shortage of anthracite next
winter which no human power can then supply. The
anthracite industry and this committee can meet the big
problem only with general support and cooperation. In
other lines of business, in these abnormal times, no one
expects to get all he wants and just when he wants it.
There is today a shortage of steel, of copper, of rubber,
of wheat, of flour, of a hundred and one things.

"Anthracite is not an exception, but with due public
consideration of the facts surrounding its supply and dis¬
tribution, this committee believes that all actual needs for
it can be supplied."

The allotment for the whole country follows:





1916-1917
Distribution
(Gross Tons)
New England States.      8.833,379

Atlantic   States.......    27.878.233

Central   States.......      5,100,024

Northwest   States....     2,710,188
Trans-Mississippi

States ............        627,965

Twentv-four States...       137,966

Railroad   Supply   ....      2.481.754

Canada   ..............      3,856,021

Miscel.  Exports......         51,930

Army & Navy Camps

and Cantonments.





Allotment

1918-1919 Increase Decrease

(Gross Tons)  Per Ct.    Per Ct.

10.331.000       16.95

31.417,154       12.69

3,481,945                   31.73

2,380,000                   12.18





2,481.754

3,602,000

51,930

600,000





100.00
100.00

6.59





51,677,460        54,345,783        5.16