Omaha daily bee., 1918-01-22
EAST OBSERVING
HEATLESS MONDAY.
TO CONSERVE FUEL
Sentiment Changes When Rea.
son for Garfield's Order
Becomes Generally
Known.

Washington, Jan. 2l.--Business ac-
tivity generally east of the Mississippi
river was suspended today for the
first of series of 10 heatless Mon
days ordered by the fuel administra-
ton TO release coal for private con-
sumption and transatlantic ship
ping.
At the same time manufacturing
plants throughout the east were idle
for the fourth successive day in COM
pliancc withA the Administrations
five-day closing order, effective last
Friday and designed also to save coal
and assist materially in relieving the
traffic congestion.
Change of Feeling.
Fuel officials declared there had
been radical change of feeling in
the country regarding the orders. In
dustries wereN cooperating fully,
they said, and virtually complete ac-
quiescencc was expected OF concerns
affected by the Monday closing pro-
gram begun today.
Handicapped by another cold wave,
covering the greater part of the coun-
try east of the Rockies and ladding to
the winters record of the severest
weather in recent years, railroads
strove to increase the movement of
coal to favored classes and straighten
the freight tangle.
Reports to the Offices of the fuel
administration said that the supply
to householdNs and steamship in
terests had been increased, but Off
cials directing the railroads asserted
there was little hope for material inn
provement in traffic conditions until
the weather moderated.
Those who have urged general
embargo against shipment Of freight
from plants shut down by the closing
order still believed today that such
actiop would be necessary before the
congestion is improved.
Cars Move to Mines.
The movement Of empty coal cars
back to the mines has begun already
TO increase. however, according to re-
ports last night from A. S. Smith, rail-
road director for the east. Director
General McAdoo's order embargoing
the use Of open top cars for freight
other than coay has released to the
mines about 10000 cars.
New demutyage rates, ranging from
50 to 100 per cent higher than the
present scale, will so into effect to-
day under all order issued by Di-
rector General McAdoo and this is
expected 10 bring quicker release of
cars at terminals.
Hopper Cars Disused,
Hundreds of hopper carsIhave been
eliminated from service BECAUSE snow
and ice piled between the rails caught
the hopper triggers and released the
load. Many deraiiing accidents and
other minor wrecks we're caused in
this way.
Drug Stores May Open.
Drug stores, under the order, may
use fuel throughout the day, provided
they sell drugs and medical supplies
only, but fuel administration Off
cials admit there is no way of forcing
them TO refrain from selling other
goods.
Nothing, fuel administration Off
cials said, can prevent thousands of
evasiohs OF the order ii the people
affected do not cooperate in the full
est measure. For instance many
buildings house single physician or
dentist and il would be virtually i'm
possible to heat one Office without
supplying heat to the remainder of
the building. Again many apartment
houses have stores on the ground
floor and heat from the rest of the
building would heat these stores TO a
great extent.