The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-01-23
Garfield Wants Acceptance
of Freight, Except Coal,
Held Up a Few Days
FUEL SITUATION
STILL VERY SERIOUS
Transportation Greatly Hampered Ow-
ing to the Prolonged Strain on the
Railroads of Deep Shows and Intense
ly Cold Weather

| Ing TO the frolongeu otrdln Oh tne
Railroads of Deep Shows and Intense
ly Cold Weather.
| WASHINGTON, Jan. 23-Urgent
declared for few days on acceptance
by the railroads of any freight except
coal and food was submitted to Direc-
tor General McAdoo last night by the
fuel administration. This action is i'm
Iperative, Administrator Garfield said,
to assure adequate movement of fuel
during the balance of the week when
the general transportation east of the
Mississippi threatens TO become worse
daily, owing to the prolonged strain on
railroads of deep SHOWS and intensely
cold weather.
The fve-davs period of industrial
suspension ended last night, and with
the resumption of manufacturing today,
railroad officials look for new flood
of traffic which the railroads cannot
handle until normal weather is re
stored.
Director General McAdoo last night
was not inclined to look with favor on
the embargo proposal. He held that
Inder government operation and conse-
qucnt pooling of facilities and short
haul routing, the railroads would be
able to clear all freight offered for
transportation without priority and
without embargoes Coal and food al
ready have preference over all other
.lasses of freight, he pointed out, and
are being moved to tidewater and tc
ocalities where domestic needs are
: greatest, as fast rs is physically pos
: ible. Mr.. McAdoo promised, how
,ver, to study closely DR.. Garfield :
igures showing how coal production
, had been curtailed i'll recent weeks, ant
take whatever action seemed best.
\ committee Of two officials from the
abroad and the fuel administrations
i'll work out a plan which may bt
; ased on a division of the east into dis
lets, each of which is to get its Goa
, tainly from a designated mining area
Toward Elliott Of the New Haven ant
\. G. Gutheim, an official of the inter
tate commerce commissioner 5 ca
srvicc bureau, will represent railroad
administration on this committee. TIL,
4
| ~ with the coal transportation prob
r m was emphasized yesterday b,
cores of reports that weather condi
g ons We're as bad or worse than at an!
me since the unprecedented period o
two weeks ago.
= The bright phase of the situation
Z ~ report of Fuel Administrato
. fairfield that ships were being bunkere'
lore rapidly than last week, and tina
oal was going in sufficient quantitie
= 0 domestic consumers. These were tn
i lain purposes of the industrial cul
D ailment order of FIVE days ago, d.
Z fairfield said, and consequently the re
D nit of the industrial suspension wa
= satisfactory.
< In the memorandum sent TO Directo
D General McAdoo suggesting the embaI
2 0, DR.. Garfield thought war munition
z nd supplies might be exempted. "Suc
Z IN embargo would be especially effeC
Z i've if it could follow Immediately tn
. i've days covered by the Jan. II O
2 Ter, said the memorandum. TIL
Z rOuld make an embargo effective t
J lay.
3 In statement summarizing the r.
4 sults OF his fuel curtailment order, d
= fairfield said:
2 "Our reports show that the prim
3 purpose sought to be accomplished b
2 he regulation Of the bunkering of shiI
B md the supplying of domestic consur
Z ~ and public utilities with coal hay
z been greatly served.
4 Local officials of the fuel admin
= ration in all parts of the east repor
4 vt that domestic consumers, public ut
4 ties and othor consumers on the pr
2 erred list in the industrial curtailme1
3 rider were being given the full ben
= 1t of the coal moving into the co
Z ,uming territory.
: "As result of the patriotic coo
= ration of American industry, capt.
Z md labor, the way has been clear
y Tor the prompt bunkering of shi
z which long were tied up at Atlant
Z ,orts waiting to carry vitality need
4 upplies to the American forces abro
Z md to the nations associated with t
Z tnited States i'll the war.
T Fuel administration officials call
+ tteution last night to the fact tn
Z GAL will continue to move first
E household users. public utilities, pub
: Institutions and ships since that p5
( # the curtailment order creating
Z Preferential list remains in force I'm
: evoked.
2 It was evident that the fuel admin
Z tration was disappointed in that {
AZ rder did not relieve railroad cong
ion as much as hoped for. Weatl
onditions were blamed for this, but
as clear also that fuel administrati
fficials felt that a general emba1
DOL gainst the receipt of freight DUR
he FIVE days closing period wol