Evening star., 1918-01-18
War Work Exempted From
Fuel Ruling, But U. S. Stands
Pat on Others, Despite Raps.
GARFIELD BUSY GETTING
COAL TO SHIPS IN PORTS
Critical Transportation Problem
Causes Speedy Action, While Pro-
tests Continue to Pour Into
Washington.

America felt the pinch Of war, perhaps
for the first time, today, with its indus
tries hanging idle under the fuel ad-
ministration's order issued to relieve
the coal shortage and release fuel for
ships loaded with supplies for the Amer
lean Army and the allies.
i In the face of protests predicting
disastrous consequences and a formal
| request from the Senate to stay its
execution temporarily. the order was
signed last night by Administrator
! Garfield. with the approval of Presi-
dent Wilson.
A supplementary list. adding to the
I! number of industries exempted from
| the fuel-restriction order. was in prep
| ton.
| Most of the plants included in the
| list have been notified that they may
| continue operations as usual. but it
appeared doubtful whether the list
| would be made public, since the fuel
| administration fears 1t would be
| swamped with requests from other in
| dustries. a
Notified Of Exemption
| Some Of the Industries notified of
their exemption were steel mills pro-
ducing ship plates. woolen mills turn
I ing out goods for the Army and Navy
and certain domestic utilities. including
ice plants:
! Most of DR.. Garfeld's staff was busy
issuing special rulings in response to
| the food Of queries from severy state
| in the east asking exactly what form
of industries were included In the
order. Apparently the whole country
| was much at sea as to just what the
order meant.
| A correction issued by the fuel adminis-
tration this morning in list OF exempted
war industries prepared last night by
Secretaries Baker and Daniels disclosed
that most of the plants producing strictly
war munitions may operate as usual
Virtually all the gun, factories. powder
plants and shell-manufacturing concerns
were included in the exemption.
All the du Pont powder plants and the
| plants Of eighteen other great companies
mentioned in last nights official an
nouncement as being reytricted to manu-
facture Of condenser tubes are, by the
, official modification today, permitted to
run in full blast.
Transportation Problem Critical.
DR. Garfield's efforts to get bunker coal
to ships in Atlantic ports is prompted by
| the extremely critical transport situation
The line of communication between the
United States and Europe has been seri-
ously crippled. not only by the lack OF
i fuel, but by. the vast amount of freight
congested on docks all along the coast.
Next to filling household require
ments, DR.. Garfield considers that the
bunkering of ships is the most impor-
tant task just now Of the fuel administra-
tion.
Secretary McAdoo, it was indicated
today. might declare a railroad en-
barge against the shipment of more
| supplies to Atlantic ports until the sit
uation on the docks is improved.
Ice Plants Exempted.
In ruling today that ice plants are
exempted from operation of the order,
the fuel administration. held. however.
that in all cities, where possible, the
only should operate, distributing it's
output through the others. If neces-
F., sary for normal supply. possibly two
will be allowed to run. This will be left
| largely to the discretion of local fuel
administrators
| AS sent out to state fuel administra-
| tors the order contained but few
| changes from the form of the abstract
made public Wednesday. nor did it
clear up to any great extent the con-
l fusion resulting from the lack of de-
i tailed Interpretation.
| BY it's provisions manufacturing
J plants east of the Mississippi and in
1 Louisiana and Minnesota, with rare ex-
| ceptions, will be closed for five days,
beginning today. and virtually all busi-
ness activity will be stopped on every
Monday for a period of ten weeks. be-
ginning January 21.
\ od-
! ministration expects coal to move to
i essential consumers, including rail-
roads, householders. public utilities and
i buildings. shipping interests and pro-
| ducers of food, in which behalf the or
der is issued.
Embraces Various Industries.
A supplementary list of exemptions
issued last night embraces various in
dustries engaged in imperative war
work. Shipyards working on Navy
construction. plants filling contracts Tor
Army and Navy woolen uniforms, tent
manufacturers and manufacturers OF
other products deemed necessary for
immediate use Of the military forces
were named in this list. In the original
order outline of which was made pub
lie Wednesday night. newspapers were
unaffected by the five day closing. but
limited to holiday editions on heatless
Mondays.
Indication was given also that plants
, requiring heat to maintain themselves
, would be permitted to burn coal fol
this purpose, but would not be permit.
, ted to operate. This was interprete ed
| by many as applying to blast furnaces
Il Protest from business Interest.
, throughout the country and the storm
in Congress continued today. Failure
of the fuel administration to heed the
Senate request that the order be hello
up until an investigation could be made
j. led to an agitation by many senator.
} in favor OF making direct appeal tt
} President Wilson. The Senate's requas,
was in the form of q resolution debatet
!. and passed by q vote Of 50 to 10 about
1coniinGed q Second Fsss:5 -