The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-01-17
Democratic Leader Wants
It Held Up Five Days;
Republican, Indefinitely
tiREFORM IS NOW.
( RUNNING WILD"
Closing of Factories Called
"Nothing Less Than Ma
tional Calamity"
(By Associated Press.)

washington, Jan. 4t'--AEOub0u anu
Fearful of the fuel administrations
order to suspend operation Of indus
trial plants to meet the coal situa-
tion, Republican and Democratic
leaders in the senate today introduc-
ed resolutions to suspend it.
Senator Hitchcock, a Democratic
leader, moved to suspend the order
for five days pending investigation.
ale acted after comforting with other
Democratic leaders.
3 Senator GallingeT, the Republican
leader, after comforting with others
of his party, introduced a resolution
10 suspend the order altogether un-
iii it's necessity had been proved by
investigation.
Protests from all sections of the
country poured into the White
House and into congress in great
numbers.
J Meanwhile. the fuel administration
made prepaTa tiOns to carry the or
der into effect at midnight. Legal
experts worked on the phTasing Of
the order and there were indications
that it might be more liberal in its
exceptions than was indicated in the
official forecast last night.
Senator Hitchcock introduced his
resolution after comforting with 9TH
or Democratic leaders in the senate
who have apprehensions Of the wis
dom and effect Of the order. Senator
Hitchcock's resolution read:
/. 'Resolved, that the fuel admins
trator. OF the United States, be and
he Is hereby requested to delay for
five days the order suspending the
operation Of industrial plants In
bortions of the United States, in or
der that protests may be heard, in
Festigation made and information
presented"
Reform Running Wild.
Senator Hitchcock introduced his
the coal order was an example OF
lack of coordination and that re
form in our government is now
running wild"
] II do not presume to say the fuel
administrator has made mistake"
said Senator Hitchcock. IAN / ask
is that SUFFICIENT time be given be-
fore the order goes into effect, TO
permit the country to be heard.
The thing he did has been called
q national calamity. The fuel ad-
rninistratiOn may be confronted with
a serious situation in trying to get
coal for the ships we must. send
across the seas OF in maintaining the
railroads, but before taking action
think at least FIVE days should be
given"
Senator Hitchcock was interrupted
by Senator Vardaman, a member Of
the subcommittee investigating the
coal situation, who said the COM
mittee had a mass of evidence 1t
would report very soon and IL a
postponement was effected, the SEN
ate would have the benefit of that
II regard this order as a calamity"
declared Senator Vardaman.
THE situation, continued Senator
Hitchcock, lis an argument for re-
form in our government. / predict
that before much time elapses we
will he compelled to lodge somewhere
absolute power for coordination Of
branches of our government that are
now running wild.
What we need is a war cabinet,
below the President and above the
cabinet. II We had such a war
cabinet this coal order never would
have been issued.
Like Bolt Of Lightning.
This thing has come like q bolt of
lightning from a clear sky. It mea MS
the closing of thousands of estab-
lishments when we are striving to
keep up production. 1t will mean
the throwing out OF employment Of
thousands of persons. 1t will involve
establishments that are making
munitions for the government. In
some cases it will even involve plants
operated by water power. 1t Is such
a revolutionary order and involves
evils Of such extent that consider
IL wise thing to pause for Ave days
while an investigation is being
made"
senator Calder, of New York, Re
publican, supporting the Hitchcock
resolution, cited how a ship builder
protesting against the order today
said his ship yard had enough coal
TO run for three weeks but would
have TO suspend tomorrow IL the or
der goes into effect.
II submit, Senator Calder said,
"that what we need in this nation, I'm
many OF the commissions, are men
with business training who will plan
In advance and coordinate their
work" ." s..
Il cannot speak too strongly for
this resolution, said Senator Weeks,
Republican OF Massachusetts,. Il
had a telephone conversation with a
manufacturer this morning who said
the order means losing $4,000, 900
products Of his company / hope
some action will be taken to stay this
order"
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