The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-01-26
SENATE FAILED TO
STOP COAL ORDER
Fuel Administrator Signs Dras-
tic Mandate Despite Storm
of Protests in Congress.
PRESIDENT BEHIND THE MOVE
DR.. Garfield Has Full Support of Ex-
ecutive in Closing Industries of
Country Temporarily.

Washington, D. C.-While a storm
OF protest ragged at the capital and
among business interests throughout
the Nation, Fuel Administrator Gar
field tonight signed the order, in pre-
paration since yesterday, closing
down manufacturing plants east of
the Mississippi river for five days be-
ginning at midnight tonight and stop
ping virtually all business, activity on
every Monday for period Of ten
weeks beginning January 81.
With the full support Of President
Wilson, the fuel administrator attach
ed his signature to the mandate as
the Senate was preparing to vote on
a resolution which it adopted twenty
minutes later, requesting him to post
pone action for five days. Doctor Gar
field would not comment on the Sen
ate action, but it was stated a. the
Fuel Administration the resolution
would have no effect upon the order.
Unusual Day in Capital.
Seldom has Washington seen a day
of more stirring activity. An aston
ished Congress paid little attention to
any other subject and officials gen.
orally, few of whom had known the
order was imminent, talked Of little
else. Doctor Garfield was the storm
center in the morning, when his Of
flee was swamped with telephone
calls, in the afternoon when he was
hailed before a Senate committee and
tonight when he finally issued the
order.
The order as signed and sent out to-
night to state fuel administrators
for enforcement contained but few
changes from the form of an abstract
given out by the Fuel Administration
last night Nor did it clear up to any
great extent the confusion resulting
from lack of detailed explanation.
Other Exemptions Made.
A supplementary statement issued
with the order embraced a list Of in
dustries engaged in imperative war
work which will be exempted from the
orders enforcement. 1t includes ship
yards engaged in naval work, a few
plants turning out products needed i'm
parts of plants producing tubing. The
list was prepared by Secretaries Baker
and Daniels.
Although no formal announcement
was made, the shipping board has been
assured that all shipyards will be ex-
empted
Congress was in an unroar from the
time it assembled until it adjourned
tonight The Senate resolution was
adopted after many senators had de-
nounced the order as unwise and I'M
necessary.
VIII Relieve Roads.
The order is expected to go far
towards clearing choked and congest-
ed railroad tracks and terminals. It
was regarded tonight as likely that
Secretary McAdoo, director-general of
railroads, might declare a rail embar-
go against the shipment Of the pro-
ducts of plants closed down if neces-
sary further to relieve the roads.
Text of the Order.
The text of the Garfield coal order
follows:
'"The United States Fuel Admins
an executive order of the President of
the United States, dated August %,
1917 appointing said administrator, in
furtherance of the purposes of said
order and OF the purposes of the act
OF Congress therein referred to, ap-
proved August 10, 1917, and finding
it essential effectively to carry out
the provisions of this act, to make pro-
vision for q more adequate supply Of
fuel for railroads, domestic con-
sumers, public utilities and for other
uses necessary to the national secur-
ity in certain parts of the United
States, hereby makes and prescribes
the following regulations:
Section l. Until further order of
the u. S. Fuel Administrator, all per-
sons selling fuel in whatever capacity
shall, in filling the contracts or orders
now on hand, give preference to neces-
sary current requirements OF:
Railroads, domestic consumers,
hospitals, charitable institutions, army
and navy cantonments, public utilities,
by-product coke plants, supplying gas
for household use, telephone and tele-
graph plants, shipping, for bunker
purposes, the United States for strict
iy governmental purposes (not includ-
ing factories or plants working On
contracts for the United States). man
ufacturers of perishable food or OF
food for necessary, immediate con-
sumption, and municipal, county or
Cow Eienhant Tusks Best