The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-01-19

must be kept warm at all costs. Re-
ports have poured into the fuel ad-
mnistration's offices for days past tell
ing of intense suffering in many parts
of the country. Some Of the largest
cities of the East have run so short
of fuel already that local fuel officials
have stopped industrial activity to
provide homes with coal.
Beside shipyards and. factories pro
ducing foodstutfs, the few exceptions
to the general rule forbidding the use
OF coal in the periods specified are
plants which must be continuously
operated to prevent injury to the
plants themselves, newspaper plants
and printing establishments which
publish current and periodical maga-
zines. y
On the Monday holidays, besides
consumers will be forbidden to use
coal:
Business and professional offices
(except to prevent freezing), except
those used for government Offices or
banks and trust companies and those
housing physicians and dentists
| Wholesale and retail stores with ex-
ceptions for drug stores and those
that sell food; all amusement places
| fn tn al n tt,ic.
tors may close the banks and trust
company buildings if they think nee
essary.
On the holiday subway. surface,
| elevated and suburban cars will be
permitted to use only the amount
of coal they normally consume on
| Some domestic utilities probably
will be exempted from the order in
supplementary rulings, including
| aundries ice plants and hundreds OF
others upon which the people are de-
pendent for supplies and service.
Cutting off coal to non essential in
dustries had been expected in Wash
ington for week. 1t was explained
tonight that they were not discrim-
| mated against in the order because
| Of the fact that it was almost inn
| possible to classify industries as es.
sential and non-essential.
| Officials tonight foresaw that the
German government might distort and
make much of the order to improve
The morale of the German people bu'
they said this danger was negligible
when compared with that of permit
ting the fuel situation to continue un-
improved. o.
| The order was issued under author
ity conferred in the Lever food act
which provides fine of $4,000 O,
Imprisonment for violation Of its pro-
vision, and warning was given that
1t would be strictly enforced.
| To prevent industrial unrest it was.
I said tonight the government might
make formal request of industries
/
affected by the order to pay their en-
ployees during the time they are
idle.
| Fuel Administrators Garfield issued
this statement:
| Adverse weather conditions in the
1 recent week and the inadequacy Of the
present coal supply and transporta
ion facilities to meet the war time
demand, have made necessary imme-
late restrictive measures as TO the
use OF coal, in that part Of the Unit
sd States east Of the Mississippi River.
| THE movement of coal in transpor-
tation must be so directed as to
| lid the director general Of railroads
in dealing with the railroad emer-
;ency created by recent blizzard con.
litiOns. Domestic consumers of Goa
must be kept warm and other abso-
utely necessary consumers must b:
supplied.
| "All industry must be fully restrict
| ID in its use of coal in order that the
-vailable supply for the remainder O!
he winter may be properly distribut.
I'd and may be made sufficient for
absolutely essential needs during tn
'emainder OF the winter.
ITO meet the necessities the fuel
administration has ordered as imn1e
hate emergency measures that on tho
lays OF January IS, 10 and 20, 81 and
~, preference and priority in the use
OF coal shall be given only to those
consumers whose consumption of coa)
absolutely necessary. These in
clude in order:
Railroads, domestic consumers
hospitals and charitable institutions