The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-01-19
Most Plants Engaged in
War Contracts Excused
FromSuspendingWork
During Period.

manufacturing industry in the Is
states east of the Mississippi river
was virtually suspended today i'm
obedience to the governments order
forhiddng the use Of fuel.
Most of tho plants engaged on war
contracts were exempted from the or
dcr's operation in teiegrams sent out
last night. but few Of them learned of
II In time ana 4 great majority OF
them closed down with tho other fac
tories.
Exemptions Surprise.
The country at large knew nothing
OF exemptions except the few an
nounced last night and 1t was not un-
tn late this afternoon that tho fuel
| administrator admitted officially. that
important war work was not affected
| by the order, and gave out list OF
| hundreds Of factories that may con-
| tinuc work on government contracts
| only during the five days closing pc
riod.
Confusion attending enforcement OF
the order was general. Such flood
of kilograms poured into the offices
| OF the fuel administration asking In
| terpretations and rulings and request
| ing information concerning exemption
| OF Industries. that finally the cxemp-
| tion list was given to the press for
publication. The day brought u
statement of uncailivacal support fur
the order from president Wilson and
a vigorous defense by Fuel Admiuis
traitor Garfield. OF the step and the
| In ID
| Opposition Dies Out.
| Opposition To the order In congress
| apparently spent itself in debate In
both houses. During the day DR..
Garfield replied to the senate's request
OF yesterday. that the order be sus-
pended for five days. disclaiming any
purpose to be discourtcous. declining
to comply and again pointing out the
necessity for enforcement Of his order
| Food Administrator Hoover. In n
| statement, interpreted tho order to
mean that no check would be put on
| the operations OF any sort of food
handling manufacturing or distrib-
uting.
in his statement supporting DIR. Gar
fields issuencc Of the closing order,
| President Wilson said.
Wilson Approves.
II was. of course. consulted by Mr..
Garfield before the fuel order of yes
,arday was issued, and fully agreed
with him that IT was necessary, much
az + regretted the necessity. This war
calls for many sacrifices and sacri-
ficns of the sort called for by this Or
der are infinitely less than sacrifices
Of life. which might otherwise he In
volvod. It is absolutely necessary to
get the ships away. It Is absolutely
| necessary to relieve the congestion at
the ports and upon the railways: il Is
| absolutely necessary to move great
quantities of food and 1t Is absolutely
necessary that our people should be
warmed In their homes II nowhere
else. and half way measures would not
have accomplished tho desired ends.
Absolutely Necessary.
? "Tf action such as this had not been
taken, We should have limped along
, from day 10 day with a slowly i'm
proving condition of affairs with re =
gard 70 tn" shipmcnt of food and of
| coal. hut without such immediate re-
lief as had become absolutely neces-
gary. because Of the congestions or
traffic which have been piling up for
! tho last few months. =z.----
! II have every confidence that the re-
suit OF action Of this sort will justify
4 ii. and that the people of the country
So will ioyally and periodically respond
! to necessities of this kind as they
/ ;pt, r,r
| in the war. We are upon war foot