The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-19
Winter Storm Handicaps MOve-
ment of Coal to Seaports.
Ice FiOeS in HarbOrS Slow Up
Fuel Transfer to Ships.
STATE DICTATORS PUZZLED
Brunt of GarfieId'S Order Falls
on His SubOrdinateS.
Many More Industries Secretly
Exempted From Idleness.
BY ROBERT ]. BENDER

Washington, jan 19.-The giant
task of smashing freight congestion at
ports and functions to release supply
ships went on full blast today. The
work made simpler by the Garfield
fuel restriction order was countered,
however. by the enemy-snow, ice and
wind-in the central and Atlantic
states.
Ice floes in ports slowed up trans
fer of coal to ships. Winter storm
waves attacked the movement of thou
sands of coal cars trying to get "over
the top" in their drive for the sea-
board
The National railroad struggled
valiantly on. Officials were confident
that with everybody in on the play,
it would succeed.
President Wilson's official endorse
ment of the Garfield order had swept
aside much of the bitter criticism
dustrial shutdown, particularly in view
of more and more exemptions.
Thousands Return to Work.
Hundreds of industries and thou
sands of workmen still idle by the
suspension regulations, watched the
governments struggles philosophi-
cally.
made of business defying the Gar
field order. Told by President Wilson
that the move was necessary and must
be carried out, industry and labor ac-
cepted their duty patriotically.
Hundreds of thousands of workmen
however, and scores of industries, who
first believed they were to remain idle.
found themselves today allowed to
continue. In addition to the an
nounced exemptions. from application
of the Garfield order, there are many
more removed from the regulations
whose identity is kept secret The
purpose oe concealing these industries
is to prevent an influx of increasing
numbers of demands. for release.
Still Vast Confusion.
There is still vast confusion Of
operation of the Garfield order in in
dividUal cases.
State fuel administrators, however,
occupy a crucial position in the
scheme of fuel control and power is
granted to all these to supply relief to
any establishment when this is neces-
sary to prevent injury to health or
destruction to property by fire and
freezing.
They are charged with the more i'm
portant duty of enforcing the order
in all it's details. Rulings regarding
the provisions of the order are made
for the most part at the national head
quarters but the state fuel admins
traitors working thru county and local
administrators have the more impor-
tant work of diverting all such fuel
as arrives in their communities to es-
sentiaI needs in the order of prefer
ence stated in the order.
Priority List Stands.
Confusion regarding the period dur
ing which the list of preferred uses is
effective was reported in some quar-
ters today
1t was stated at the fuel admins
tration that Section l of Doctor Gar
fields regulation establishes the order
of preference in the distribution of
coal This order remains in effect
until it is rescinded by Doctor Gar
field.
Complaints Continue to Pour In.
By this order, even after the five
days closing has been concluded the
system of priorities now in effect may
continue until the work of clearing
away congestion is completed. In dis
tricts which had been under suspen-
sion during the five-day period indus=
tries may resume operation If they
have coal on hand. Those that nave
not stand small chance of getting fuel
at this time.
Congress passed into it's third day as
A. depository for telegraphic and writ
ten complaints from back home
The corridors and cloak rooms and
even the chambers themselves st1il
ring sharply with criticism of the Gar
field OrQGr. But llle SlIudtlOii iielH
reached the point now where the leg
islators are looking to the future for
hope of venting their wrath on meas
ures which may be presented later
. Appeals to Employers.
Despite the tremendous economic
unheayal caused by the industrial sus-
pension order, only isolated cases OF
disturbance or suffering was reported
today. Further indirect appeals were
made to manufac cturers to relieve the
burden of the suspension from the
shoulders of the workers by not stop
ping their pay. All fuel admi1istra-
tors were sent the following telegram
by Garfield today:
will you kindly give public ex-
CONTINUED on Page Two,
I'D AccAIIc GAPEIEID