Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-28
Dr. Garfield Tells Story of His Widely Condemned Fuel Order

getting the Judgment of certain per-
sons of wide experience in those cities.
How long would 1t take parity 70
inquiries. Would the closing OF all
Industries for a limited time result dis
astrously to the country? was to be
another.
1--WE talked by telephone. Mr.. Noyes
and on Tuesday he returned to Wash
ington. His report was satisfactory
and was discussed at length. On
Wednesday / called on Secretary Baker
and informed him of the plan l had
in mind and asked him to arrange for a
meeting with the President.
when Secretary Baker learned what
/ purposed to do, with the consent OF
the President. he said something about
a whirlwind that would surely sweep
over the land. Then | went to see
Secretary Daniels of the Navy.
Strangely enough. he also spoke of
whirlwinds.
Eat S o'clock that afternoon secre-
tary Baker. Secretary Daniels and my
self had a conference with President
Wilson. who heard what ! had TO say :,
and asked many questions. L snail
never forget the calm courage with
which he met my proposal.
my idea, as l have said. was to
close all Industries east OF the Missis-
sippi river during two blocks Of three
days following. The country. l was
reminded. would thus receive two
Shocks A single period of five days,
In which there would be Saturday and
a Sunday. it was suggested. would re-
duce the shocks to one and might be
wiser under all the circumstances.
II left the conference with the Prest-
dent and, going to my Office, dictated
an announcement to the public that as
an emergency measure preference and
priority in the use Of coal on January
IS, 10. 20, u and 22 would be given only
to those consumers whose consumption
of coal was absolutely necessary. Ii
was also stated that during the five
days designated no manufacturing in
dustry would be permitted to operate
even if it had supply of coal on hand
This notice was published In the
newspapers on the morning of January
II. On the following day the regula-
tions in detail were made public and, as
announced on the day before. prohibit
ed all use of fuel. except by consumers
classed as absolutely necessary, on the
Monday of each week from January q
to March rs"
Then what happened?" the inter-
viewer asked.
1.-THE deluge." DR.. Garfield answered
at was not unexpected" he quietly
added. pig business has always be-
lieved that it has the right of way. 1t
was amazed. IT couldn't speak; it could
only gasp.
THE order closing the industries east
of the Mississippi river proved indeed
to be a shock to the country. I under
stood perfectly well that it would be
and that is the reason l acted as quick
~ and quietly as possible If it had
been known that such an order was be-
ing considered. the deluge would have
burst prematurely and might have
stopped the order altogether"
"An0 the waiting ShinS received coal "
the interviewer said.
"They did" DR. Garfield replied. "On
January II. the day on which the order
was sent to the country. 480 ships, as
have previously said. were in our har-
bors. They were laden with 100000
tons of food. munitions and war sup
plies. During the twelve days fol
lowing 40 ships carrying food. II
carrying oil. gasoline and other fuel
and 1863 carrying munitions and war
supplies filled their bunkers and sailed
for Europe"
did you receive any words of COM
mendatiOn with respect to that order?'
the writer asked
I'm the storm of shillalahs / heard a
kind note occasionally" DIR. Garfield re.
piled, but the order was out and II
was obeyed periodically and conscien-
tiously. 1t is still being denounced by
many good men. but I stand by it and
am glad that it was sent to the country
while the order has caused me nc
regrets. 1 trust another like it will not
be necessary. The government is try.
ing hard to bring about conditions that
will keep freight moving-to get 1t &c
the seaboard and to get coal to all the
ships If this can be done. our indus.
tries will not have to be closed tenn.
porarily. If it cannot be done, / am
willing to take the responsibility. so fal
as ] can. of another order like the one
of the nth of January"
lCopyrIsht. 1870, y. JaI.rs Il. MorroM.l