Evening star., 1918-01-18

l
The latter ruling was Of particular value
in Maine, as considerable proportion OF Its
| industries use water power. Most OF the
| shops not dependent on coal conducted
| business as usual. In the case OF plants
| engaged in government contracts the ex-
| emptions were announced so late that 1t
| was impossible to get word to many en-
ployes who had been notified yesterday
| that the shops would not be open today.
Depend on Newspapers.
| However. all means were utilized to sum-
mon the workers and although shorthand
ed, most of these factories were running
today.
| The public depended upon the newspap-
| ers for information as to the effect Of the
order upon their business.
A number of plants kept up work in
shipping rooms and other departments
| which could be operated without the use
Of power.
The general holiday increased the burden
of the railroads. many of the workers
taking advantage of their unexpected va
cation to come to the city. New England
railroads did not change their schedules
except to cancel some trains used solely
by employees of factories which were
LYNN. Mass. January 1s.-Not more
than half of the $4,000 operatives at
the local plant Of the General Electric
Company. who went home last night with
out knowing whether they would be af-
fected by the fuel administrators clos
Ing order were back at work at opening
time today. The company announced that
it had been impossible to notify all Of its
men that the plant had been ex-
but that they were returning as fast
as they got word that work had not been
interrupted.
Manufacturers estimated that between
40
idle today.
Periodically Obeyed in Baltimore.
BALTIMORE. Md, January 1s.-Bal-
timore patriotically accepted the ma
tional fuel administrations orders, clos
ing manufacturing industries for five
days. which affected approximately
5000 of it's industrial enterprises. rem
dering upward of 100000 persons idle,
and buckled down to its observance to-
day. Practically all of the big office
buildings began the day without heat,
and employees working in their over
coats was a familiar sight This in
cluded buildings containing banks and
newspaper offices, which were supposed
to be exempt.
State Fuel Administrator Ferdinand
Meyer announced that he would insist
fields order. and United States District
Attorney Samuel X. Dennis stated that
he would prosecute all violations to the
limit. The police department will keep
close watch for any violations, and
all such will be reported to Admins
TRAITOR Meyer The Baltimore public
schools will close for two weeks, be-
ginning next Monday, to conserve coal.
Steel Mills Close.
PITTSBURGH, January 1S.-Fully
200, 900 men in the Pittsburgh district
did not report for work this morning
as a result Of the federal order closing
factories for five days, and manufacture
ing authorities said that this number
would be increased by $4,000 others at
noon. when the Westinghouse Electric
and Manufacturing Company and other
factories still in operation had cleaned
up their work for the shutdown. .-
Included in the closed plants were
the Homestead mills of the United
ception of a mill making ship plates,
the furnaces and mills of the Jones g.
Laughlin Steel Company and several
thousand others of less Importance.
Chemical companies acknowledged their
inability to interpret the order of the
fuel administrator and were In opera
tion while the coal mines were running
where it was possible to secure cars
Among the closed mills are many
making supplies for the government,
including one which has a contract for
100000 tons of projecti1e steel.
There was much confusion concern
ing the course to be followed by fac
tories using natural gas as fuel, and a
specific ruling from Washington was
eagerly awaited.
Cleveland Industrial Plants Close.
CLEVELAND. Ohio. January 1s.-In-
dustrial plants in this city with few
exceptions were closed today in obedi-
ence to Fuel Administrator Garfeld's
shutdown order. Two hundred thou