The Washington times., 1918-01-18
EXECUTIVE IS
IMMOVABLE
IN STAND ON
FUEL EDICT
CONTINUED from First Page.)


thorized to determine what other In
dustries are essential to the unin-
terrupted flew of food.
Garfield signed the order about $40
o'clock yesterday afternoon. 1t was
officially stated. This was a few
minutes before the Senate passed its
resolution asking him 20 postpone the
date of the orders going into effect
FIVE days.
It was stated at the fuel admins
tration that Instructions to State fuel
administrators were on their way an
hour before the Senate's action was Of
fcialiy brought to Garheld's atten-
ton.
Many Uncertain.
But the lateness OF the order and
the general confusion brought yes
terday left hundreds o. Industries
uncertain whether they sncuId open
or not today. As a result thousands
OF workers in the eastern half OF the
United States went to thei: labor as
usual this morning, on.y to find
they were not wanted.
Having given the President au-
thority to act in such eases as the
present, Congress has burned its
IL 81 lar lllC var
field order is concerned The only
step which could be taken TO make
the order ineffective would be to Ie-
peal the food law immedistely-and
that is not thought OF seriously.
That the-l2w may later Re amend
nd to strip IL of some of lie powers.
however. is limited at by some today.
Today there was some tendency to
pass the buck by friends Of both
Garfield and Secretary McAdoo. Each
group shunted responsibility for the
order conceded to be full of politi-
cal dynamite) on the other official.
Garfield's friends say il Sas neces-
Sary to help McAdoo out OF a rail-
road tangle while McAdoo's friends
say he had no knowledge OF the or
der's scope before it was issued.
But Garfield says that rail cOnges-
ton. not car shortaEe-need for re-
Etricting manufacture to save freight
space-is the underlying reason for
the regulation. Cessation OF output
for fourteen days will enable
The national railroad TO clear Its
cracks and get into shape for more
rapid handling OF freight In the fu-
tUre.
Many Mines Idle.
throughout the coal fields scores.
even hundreds. of mines are lying idie
because OF railroad inability to sup
ply the cars to carry away their prod
uct," the fuel administration stated
Coal mines cannot operate without
cars. Cars cannot be supplied while
railroads are crippled by the present
freight congestion, which keeps idle
cars lying useless in freight yards.
War munitions. food. manufactured
articles OF every description, lie at
our Atlantic ports in tens of thou
sands of tons. while literally hun
dreds Of ships. waiting loaded with
war goods for our men and our allies.
cannot take the seas because their
bunkers are empty OF coal. The coal
TO send them on their way is waiting
behind the cOngested freight that has
damned all terminals.
1T is worse than useless to bend our
energies to more manufacturing when
what We have already manufactured
lies ct tidewater cOngesting terminal
facilities. tanning the railroad yards
and sidetracks for long distances back
into the country.
Other COurseH Useless.
Added to this has been the difficulty
or transporting coal for our own domes-
Tic HcGuS. Inc WHEELS are tuOhtu anu
stopped. II was useless to continue manu-
facture and pile confusion ON top Of con-
fusion"
DIR. Garfeld's final order issued in its
complete form did not vary in essential
details from the preliminary statement
Issued Thursday. State fue ladministra-
tors are empowered to divert fuel in car
load lots TO meet current requirements
Bnd TO provide for the normal require
ments Of the preferred industies.
Food manufacturers not working
on perishable products or food for
neces sary immediate consumption
may operate. provided they maze ap-
plication TO their State fuel admins
traitors through Federal Food Admin
istrator Hoover.
Extensive preparations against dis (
order among the millions of workers
forced into idleness are under way.
No attempt will he made to Inuuce !
employers TO compensate workers for :
time lost by the fuel order. Such
procedure would be imDOssihle for