Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-18
DR.. GARFIELD Tells
SENATE COMMITTEE
ORDER IS NECESSARY
Fuel Situation and Railroad
Congestion Made Drastic
Step imperative to Prevent
Serious Developments

! WASHINGTON, Jan. 17.-Dr. Garfield
went before the committee shortly after
, o'clock and told his reasons for issu-
ing the order. The fuel and railroad sit
uation, he said, made the action impera-
tive
THE purpose of the ORDER said Mr..
Garfield, lis not to interefer in the
slightest with the unloading of coal at
the mines This is made clear in the
amplification of the abstract
A modification decided on this morn
ing, DR.. Garfield said, put all consumers
in the preferential list on an equal bas-
is with no preference shown to any
one class.
DIR. Garfield said that the plan was
| to permit certain war industries to oper-
ate despite the order.
Shipbuilding, Administrator Garfield
said, was one of the industries that it
was vitality necessary to keep running.
| If the industries which are to be eX-
j empted were classified in the order, he
/ said, it would cause a storm of protest
and embarrass the fuel administration.
! DR.. Garfield said Secretary Baker and
| Secretary Daniels were preparing such
a list.
While Dr. Garfield was being examin-
| ed by the senate coal committee, the
senate agreed to postpone further de-
| bate on the Hitchcock resolution until
| 4 o'clock.
! The order was made necessary, DR..
Garfield said, by transportation condi-
| TONS which had made it impossible to
supply industries and at the same time
i furnish homes and public utilities.
The necessity for moving ships, he
said, was so great that drastic measures
were compulsory.
/ The list of exempted industries, Dr.
Garfield said, would include those imme-
diately necessary in the conduct of the
war. Aside from shipping and air
planes, he said, he did not know what
the list would contain.
Hitchcock's Resolution
Senator Hitchcock, Democrat, today
| introduced a resolution in the senate
to suspend the fuel order for five days.
| Senator Gallinger, Republican leader,
| also introduced resolution proposing
! that the coal orders be suspended until
! after an investigation of their neces-
| Sity.
senator Hitchcock introduced his res
| olution after comforting with other
! Democratic leaders in the senate who
effect of the order.
The resolution by Senator Gallfnger
was prepared after conference with
other Republican leaders who were de-
termined to prevent if possible, having
the coal orders go into effect.
News of the agitation evidently got
TO the ears of the administration lead
ers because Fuel Administrator Car
! field hurried to the capitol.
a
s.Resolved. that the fuel commission
| or of the United States be, and he rs
hereby requested to delay for five days
the order suspending the operation Of
| industrial plants in portions of the
| limited States in order that protests
| may be heard, investigation made and
! information presented
Senator Hitchcock declared that the
! coal order was an example of the CO.
| ordination and reform in our govern
mont is now running Wild"
! \ mint resolution to prevent enforce
ment of the fuel order was introduced
| in the house by Representative Smith,
! of New York The resolution declares
| that sit is the sense of congress that
/ the order of the fuel administrator is
unnecessary and that an efficient move.
ment of cars and ships and full opera
ton of coal mines will obviate the need
| of shutting down of the industrial ma
chinery of the country and meet the
need of the present situation"
st do not presume to say the fuel
! administrator has made a mistake"
said Senator Hitchcock. "All l ask is
/ that sufficient time be given before the
1 order goes into effect to permit the coun-
/ try to he heard. The thing he did has
| been called a national calamity. The
! fuel administration may be confronted
! with d serious situation in trying to
get coal for the ships we must send
across the seas or in maintaining the
/ railroads, but before taking action ]
/ think at least five DAYS should be
given"
, Senator Hitchcock was interrupted
by Senator Nardaman, n member of the
subcommittee investigating the coal sit
uation, who said the committee had
mass Of evidence il would report very
+ soon and if a postponement effected the
senate would have the benefit of that
! II regard this order as a calamity"
declared Senator Vardaman.
Argument for Reform
The situation" continued Senator
Hitchcock, lis an argument for reform
in our government. / predict that be-
fore much time elapSeS we will be com
PEELED to lodge somewhere absolute
power for coordination of branches of
our government that are now running
wild. The various officials and branches
of the government are not working in
harmony or co-ordinating. 1t is impos-
sible for the president with his mani
fold duties and enormous tasks to have
all the direction. What we need is
a war cabinet, be.ow the president and
above the cabinet. If we had had such
war cabinet this coal order never
would have been issued.
This thing has come like a bolt of
} lightning from 4 clear sky. 1t means
the closing of thousands of establish
ments when We are striving TO keep up
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