Evening star., 1918-01-21
Many Business Houses, Not
Included in Order, Close
as Patriotic Act.
RADICAL CHANGE IN
FEELING is CLAIMED
Fuel and Freight Conditions I'M
proved, Though Another Cold
Wave Proves Handicap.

Reports received today by the United
States Fuel Administration indicated
that the first "heatless Monday is being
much more generally observed than was
| expected or contemplated. Business
houses not required by the Garfield
order to suspend are doing so volun-
tarily. Appeal to the patriotism of
American business men is having an
effect and producing results which it is
admitted could not have been achieved
by an arbitrary exercise of power.
Fuel administrators in states east of
the Mississippi river report a general
suspension OF business activity, and
that there appears a cheerful willing
ness to make today and the nine sue
ceeding Mondays holiday in fact.
At the same time manufacturing
plants throughout the east were idle
fog - >laeth successive day in COM
plsan.c Nth the administrators five-
day closing order, effective last Friday.
and designed also to save coal and as
sist materially in relieving the traffic
congestion.
Radical Change in Feeling Noted.
Fuel officials declared there had been
a radical change Of feeling in the coun-
try regarding the orders. Industries
were cooperating fully, they said, and
virtually complete acquiescence was
expected of concerns affected by the
Monday closing program begun today.
Although this order only forbids the
use of fuel for heating. officials were
sure business would cease. and DR.. Gar
field last night issued a direct request
that all retail establishments, except
food and drug stores. close their doors
day was c'-.nged to Tuesday by spe-
ci9L rulits sturdsy, opened ~ usual
owners aud lessses Of Once buldfn8s
today received requests to observe the
ana operate no 1isht and asievators e.
cept for the. use of exempted persons
or. concerns such as dentists and doc
tors who are housed In their buildings.
Elevators Nay Be Included.
1t was said today at the fuel ad-
ministration that the "heatless Mon
day" order may be amended so as to
deny lights and power for elevators as
well as heat.
stores handling food, permitted to
keep open until noon by the original
order. were granted special dispensa-
tion last night undsI which they may
sell goods. throughout the day. Drug
stores are expected to use fuel for
pointed out that there was no way to
prohibit the sale of other articles un-
less store proprietors followed the in
tent Of the order.
Handicapped by another coald wave,
covering the greater part of the coun-
try east Of the Rockies and adding to
the winters record of the severest
weather in recent years, railroads
strove to increase the movement of coal
to favored classes and straighten the
freight tang1e.
Reports at the office Of the fuel ad-
ministration said that the supply to
householders and steamship interests
had been increased, but officials direct
ing the railroads asserted there was lit
tie hope for material improvement in
traffic conditions until the weather
moderated.
Those who have urged a general en-
barge against shipment of freight from
plants shut down by the closing order
still believed today that such action
would be necessary before the conges-
ton is improved. A general embargo
on freight was put into operation on
the Pennsylvania railroad today, and
similar embargoes on other heatless
Mondays if the jam is not broken.
Cars to Mines; Coal to Seaboard.
Efforts were centralized today on the
movement of empty coal cars back to
the mines, and to the transportation
Of bunker coal to the Atlantic seaboard.
total of 10000 tons of bunker coal
had arrived or was en- route for north
Atlantic ports, while 100000 tons had
been delivered on the southern sea-
board and 100000 tons more was on its
way. At one southern port 10000 tons
was delivered yesterday to ships that
have been tied up for more than a
week.
At both northern and southern ports
the organization and machinery for
bunkering vessels was operated all of
Saturday night and yesterday wherever
possible. Twenty-four-hour operation
will be continued throughout the period
of suspended indstrial activity
Open Top Embargo Big Aid.
The movement of empty coal cars back
to the mines has begun already to in
crease. however. according to reports from
A. H Smith. railroad director for the east
bargoing the use of open top cars for
freight other than coal has released to
the mines about 10000 cars
State fuel administrators were in.
structed by DIR. Garfield to exert every
effort to hurry the unloading of cars al.
yerted from plants closed down for house.
hold use aid to hasten their movement
to the producing centers.
New demurraGe rates, ranging from sn
to 100 per cent higher than the present
scale, went into effect today under an
order issued by Director General McAdoo
and this is expected to bring Quicker re-,
leas se Of cars at terminals.
Snow and Ice Cause Accidents.
Hundreds of hopper cars have h.sn
! eliminated from service because snow
! and ice piled between the rails cau.h+
the hopper triggers and released tbe
load. Many -derailing accidents ava
! other minor wrecks were caused in this
The list of Industrial concerns e1.
empted from operation of the cmrtsii-
| ment regulation has virtually bean
completed. From now on plants viii
| be exempted only when it is sbawn
their output is needed to prevent =
shutdown of industries already ex-
cepted. Both the War and Navy de.
partments have selected all the indus-
tries turning out materials desmed
| pecsssary for the fighting forces ana
! which can be delivered immediately.