The Washington herald., 1918-01-17
NINE HOLIDAYS DEcREED.

This action was taken following a
conference at the White House at
tended by the President. Fuel Admin
istrstor Garfield. Secretary OF War
Baker and Secretary Of the Navy
Daniels.
Between Temporarily suspending the
vital war industries and meeting the
President Wilson chose the latter
course.
II was made plain by Administrator
Garfield last night that the order IN
its application will not only preveat
the delivering of coal TO all indus
| tries for the five days period men
toned, but will prohibit the use on
those days Of any reserve supplies OF
coal. This is done in order that a
permanent effect may be obtained In
restocking the supply available for
household and public utility use.
AT the same time IL is the urgent
desire Of the government that the
| Industries affected shall not lay on
their employees during the interim. IN
selecting the days il did the govern
ment took into consideration the fact
that one Of the days is Sunday and
another is Saturday, which later day
in some industries is a half holi-
day.
Gas Companies Exempt.
In excepting public utilities from
the order and giving them preferences
Z with householders. the government
was confronted by the prediction
that unless this were done many
of these public utilities, including gas
and electric companies, would be COM
I Id a. IL.
dependent on them rendered help
less.
At the ofices Of Director General
McAdoo it was stated last night thai
the congestion on the railroad lines
responsible for the coal crisis is b.
ginning to loosen UP.
Despite this. however. il was ex-
planned that the supply Of -Dsl n
the retail yards in the East hA6
been so depleted during the period
OF the recent storm mat drastic ac-
ton such as that taken last night
was regarded as absolutely neces-
sary.
Representatives in Washington OF
the various big industries OF the
country were thunderstruck at The
drastic nature of the order, and sew
ersl Of them were disposed TO oucs-
ton the legality of the step. one
or two fistly challenged the right of
the government TO prevent Industries
from using reserve supplies OF coaI
which they may have on hand.
DR.. Garfield said that failure to
observe the order will make a pss-
son liable to the provisions OF the
Lever law. This imposes a maxi
mum Of $4,000 fne or a Jail SEN
tepce. II
= One order fts in perfectly withi
that OF Director General McAdo0
giving preference 20 coal, food and
bunker coal for the ships carrying
supplies to the alIies-- The two have
been in conference several times
over the problem and the only diff
ference lies in the fact that Mr..
McAdoo is moving other emergency
essentials besides coal.
Question already has. been brought
UP whether the Fuel Administrator
has any power To order a man not 10
use coal that he already has on hand.
distribution of coal and eurtafImeut
through distribution, it is pointed out.-
can OF course bring about the CON
servation ends by. not delivering TO a
person who persists in violating the
law. IL has been hinted IN some quar-
ters that some factories who-~ rzs1f-
ers are not patriotic enough q put
themselves to any disadvantage, will
persist IN using what they have ON
hand and carry the matter to the
courts a"
Reports received by the Director
Genprai OF Railroads gave DR.. Gar
field some measure, Of hope that
there wiz not have to be q second
pStisd Of i've days suspension OF
Idndusn&es. Trains are being moved 4
out OF lthe snow-bound distrfcsz
with SOME promise OF fairly
movements of the coal supply WITH
in the next four or five day
DR.. Gsrfeid ~sys that the 4cheme
OF hve days suspension md the
Monday hpbcays ought 20 conserve
sbeut -so.eee.eeo tons Of a. al
This wilk garry the cot atrys ana
coxnNsEnR on PIer t-Gsr