The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-01-17

y Daily newspapers may burn fuel
as usual excepting on Mondays from
January q to March 25 inclusive.
On such days they may burn fuel to
such extent as is necessary 20 issue
such editions as they customarily
issue on important national legal
holidays. When a newspaper does
not customariIy is-ue any edition at
all on such a holiday it may issue
one edition on these specified Mon
days"
While the order does not mention
shipyards II is known that they will
be permitted TO continue operations.
Came Without Warning.
The fuel administration's move
came entirely without warning af-
ter the stringent measure submitted
by Administrator Garfield had been
approved by President Wilson. Ii
was decided upon hurriedly by the
President and executive heads as a
necessary remedy for the food and
fuel situation in the eastern states.
Exceptions made of plants re-
quiring continuous heat to maintain
their efficiency led to the belief to-
day that steel mills and blast
furnaces might be permitted to use
fuel during the FIVE days period.
The Lever bill under authority Of
which the order is issued provides a
fine OF $1,000 or imprisonment for
violation.
To prevent industrial unrest it was
a formal request that affected indus
tries pay their employees during the
time they were idle.
Preparing Formal Order.
The fuel administration meanwhile
hurried on the machinery for carry
ing out the plan. Fuel Administrator
Garfield assembled all his legal staff
and began preparation of the formal
order, which IL was promised would
clear up many points which were
indefinite or conflicting in the
abstract and statement issued last
night
1t developed that the order actuaI-
Iy had not been drawn when Mr..
Garfield made his announcement and
when the fuel administration issued
an abstract OF what ii was expected
to be. II was said that the full text
of the order could not be prepared
In time to be given out much before
this afternoon and there was some
doubt as to whether its text would
be ready for publication in even
ing papers today.
The order will not include natural
gas nor use OF wood as fuel, nor
power derived from water. IL is
said that the exception OF necessary
war industries from the operation
OF the order might be more liberal
than first announcements indicated.
Will Appeal to Employers.
DIR. Garfield will issue, probably
during the day, a public appeal to
employers to continue the pay OF
their employees during the time they
are idle because Of the fuel order,
The government has no power to en-
force this request but will call on
employers to take the step as a pa-
triotic duty.
Bad weather reduced voal moVe-
ments between the Appalachian
mountains and the Mississippi river
today to less than at any time with-
in the last week, according to re-
ports reaching the railroad adminis-
tration.
A series OF rulings or interpreta-
tions to be issued in connection with
the order is expected to make the
situation more clear.
VIII Buy Coal Saved.
Under a provision which # was
decided this morning TO insert I'm the
order the government viii become
the purchaser OF virtually an coal
produced in the five day closing
period. Mines producing coal under
contract to industries which will be
closed down win be directed 70 turn
their output over to state fuel
administrators under bill Of IadinB
attached. The treasury department
viii set aside s25, 100000 for the puF~
chase Of this coal.
Coal IN transit TO industries which
will be closed win not be purchased
by the government but merely WIN
be diverted By state fuel admtnis@
(Continued on page 50