The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-01-21


gled badly In the handling Of the
fuel problem. The order Of the fuel
administrator is q blow between the
eyes Of business. It is hoped that
there will be serious reconsid eration
of the whole of this order. #
Chicago. Herald At a word Of
command from Washington the
great industries: Of the greatest; In.
dustrial sections of the nation stand
idle. A few days ago and the idea
was to keep them going at full speed.
The war could not wait. Tomor-
row, by exercise Of governmental
power which for drastic character
and suddenness combined, exceeds
anything on record in this country.
They are stopped for a period Of five
days completely and for Sunday and
Monday Of each week for q period Of
ten weeks. 1t was tremendous de-
cision, and carries with 1t a tremen-
dous responsibility It Is, IN q sense,
a catastrophe that can only be Justi-
fed on the ground that 1t was need
ed to prevent still greater catas-
trophe. Let us trust that the UNI
precedented measure will speedily
Danish the terror Of an impending
coal famine. a I: "A ~
Duluth News Tribune Close down
and shut is the order that comes
from Washington with bang.
Twenty-four hours IL not long mo-
tice to give business. and industry
for five days and throw many tens
Of thousands out of employment.
Coal at any price would have been
cheaper. |, B. h ..s
The order will be obeyed loyalty.
The sacrifice and hardship will be
shouldered This will be done good
Eaturedly, as is the American habit
In accepting the inevitable. Yet
back OF this order and made plain by
It is the almost total business incom-
petence Of this administration.
The result cannot be shifted to
the storm. That was but factor.
Neither can coal shortage be put as
the cause There are other ways
Of meeting that by longer working
hours and Increased mine crews. The
greatest coal country in the world
does not have to be short OF coal
unless some one fumbles.
The real cause back of this or.
der Is railway and shipping conges-
tion.a Back Of that is congestion OF
industry and terminals In the great
cities, overgrown because Of this very
congestion. The final answer Is to
scatter industries, free terminals to
common use and break the shackles
put on the country by our American
Despot. s44,a,
A case directly in point Is the Du-,
luth steel plant, producing only pri-
mary steel products to be shipped
500 miles by rail to Chicago, while
Its merchant mills are idle and
wholesalers in this western section
are unable to get the staple forms
Of finished steel products these mer-
chant mills could supply.
Mr.. McAdoo has not, in conse-
quence of this situation, been able to
unscramble the railroads, and the
coal order Is the result. It is to help
him in in untangling distribution
that all business and industry must
halt at untold financial loss, though
for q year the railroads have been
under the direct control Of the gov
eminent. 1t all but makes stand
out boldly and Enthusiastically THE
business incompetence of this adj
ministration, which has been reveal
ed in other directions. It is the
reality Of this, and not the reality
of war, that is brought home to the
people. DR.. Garfield might we'll ac-
company Mr., Baker to private life.