University of South Carolina Libraries
FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1946 THE sufi 1VER AGAIN! Little kids will whimper with cold - old people will suffer - and even the strong may sicken and die from it - all for lack of COAL! Coal, the most abundant of all our natural resources - uncounted billions of tons - that can’t be mined - all because our Government can’t deal with just one man! The letter reproduced at the right is our reply to another Bureaucratic “order”. We have no wish to sound off or appear uncooperative in an emergency but we believe “orders” should be directed to quarters that can accomplish things. Our letter was written and is being published in the hope that you—and You—and YOU! will wake up and see what is hap pening. With the nation on the very brink of ruin the Government “directs” and “orders” little retail coal dealers like us to do thus and so with the meager stocks we have when just one simple “order” properly enforced would produce all the coal the country could possibly need. The combined stocks of retail yards to day are not a drop in the bucket and wouldn’t run industry for twenty four hours, but instead of concentrating on John L. (bottle neck) Lewis expensive personnel, offices and ‘‘bureaus” are be ing set up to tell retailers what to do with a mere shirt tail of coal! Farmers Ice & Fuel Co. HEAT WITH COAL NEWBERRY S. C. May 10th, 1946 Solid Fuels Administration, 294 ^2 Peachtree Street, v ' Atlanta 3, Ga. Gentlemen: We have just received your letter of May 9th in the form of an “order” covering delivery of Coal now on our yard. Although this “order” tells us at some length just what we can and can not do we hereby in form you we will deliver what Coal we have exactly as we see fit without reference or regard to you. When the United States Government, from the President right on down, develops enough guts to give “orders” to John L. Lewis we will listen to them also; but until this development takes place you need not communicate with us further. To be sure you receive this letter and learn exactly what at least one company feels toward Government bungling and pampering we are forwarding it by registered mail. Yours very truly, FARMERS ICE & FUEL CO. ELLIa E. L. LOWIE, President Although we make reference to John L. Lewis in the letter at the left and else where on this page we do not personally blame him for the coal situation today. The United States Government, including the President and the twerps and jerks in Congress are solely to blame. Lewis may be likened to the neighbor hood kid who has been allowed to run wild. Who wouldn’t become a hellion if allowed to? Who wouldn’t like to be a dictator if he could get away with it? Who wouldn’t get all puffed up with import ance and big ideas when the entire Ad ministration bows to his every wish? The kids old man tames him in short or der, and no more is heard of him. The Government CAN tame Lewis just as easily! Citizens of Newberry — of EVERY WHERE—demand of your Government that Lewis be tamed! Wire your Senators and Congressmen today urging legisla tion to curb the power of any one man who can ruin the Nation! Yes, unless a veritable miracle happens, Newberry will shiver again this winter. We have struggled to keep you warm during past winters, always hoping for the end of this senseless coal shortage, but we will have it again and we might as well face it. We will be in there pitching for you, though, and all we ask is that when coal is short you remember it is through no fault of ours. Oh yes! there, is one more thing you can do! Remember to help us in this fight - urge and urge that Senator and Congressman. Farmers Ice & Fuel Company Newberry, South Carolina