The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-02-19
DIR. Garfield Says 4S0 Ships
Sailed With Supplies for
Troops in France.
PATRIOTIC SPIRIT SHOWN
Americans Made Sacrifices, Ma
tional Fuel Administrator
Says, Which Could Not Be
Compelled BY Arms.

New York, Feb. 1S.-Some hith-
erto unannounced details of the
causes and results Of the five-day in
dustrial suspension and heatless
Monday order were disclosed here
by Fuel Administrator Garfield in an
address to the alumni of Williams
College. DIR. Garfield's theme was
the spirit Of America and he praised
the people for the tranquility with
which they met the. economical
crisis.
AS result of the closing order,
DIR. Garfield said, 4S0 ships, carry
ing more than 100000 tons Of
food, fuel and munitions and other
war supplies. which had been tied
up in Atlantic ports, were bunkered
and sent to sea from January z, the
day the order became effective, to
January 20. A normal number Of
ships only remained at anchor, he
declared. and the flow Of supplies
necessary to the American expedi-
tionary forces and the allies had
been re-established.
In addition, the fuel administrator
continued, the railroads were closed
for import shipments of steel and
other important commodities to fac
tories, without which the most es-
sential war industries inevitably
would have been closed, but not in
an orderly fashion.
Increase in Trade.
DR.. Garfield called attention to the
fact that the nations foreign COM
merce had increased from two bill
lions of dollars in 1913 to nine bill
lions of dollars and said there had
been placed on the railroad little
more than one-half of the number of
locomotives needed to care for the
increased traffic. the remainder be-
ing sent to France and Russia.
Almost without exception, he con-
tinued, the manufacture OF war ma
terial was at its height about the
first OF last December. Then came
the worst weather the country had
experienced in twenty years. The
railroads found the struggle against
over-production and billiards. too
much for them, the administrator
said, and some relief was necessary.
ITO cite a few OF the most i'm
portant articles" said DR.. Garfield.
the shipment of steel plates essen
tial to the building OF our ships fell
off nearly so per cent during the
period from the beginning OF Decem-
ber to the middle of January.
Downward Plunge.
THE plotted curve of weekly
shipments of all steel products looks
like great picture of Niagara, the
first of December marking the be-
ginning of the drop and the middle
OF January the bottom. Had this
decline been permitted to continue.
our most essential war industries
inevitably would have been closed
but not in an orderly fashion. CO.
operation demands the share OF
losses as well as gains. Noteworthy
that the upward trend was resumed
for the week beginning January 26.
"The fuel administration, believ-
ing In the democratic ideal. asked
not that some. but that all partici-
pate In the sacrifice necessary to
save us from our own prosperity and
the American spirit arose and as
serted itself.
THE reaction of the American
people in the face Of the greatest
crisis which this generation has been
called upon to face proved that they
were true inheritors Of the Ameri-
can spirit and practical advocates
of the principle of democracy"