The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-01-18
Capital and Wage-Earners Idle
as Result of Application of
FueI-Saving Order.
NATIONS PAYROLL TIED UP
Protests Futile--Spirit as Well
as Letter of Edict Observed
by Business Men.

mentary list adding to the number o
industries exempted from the fuel re.
striction order was in preparation to.
day at the fuel administration.
Most of the plants included in the
list have been notified thai they may
continue operations, as usual, but il
appeared doubtful whether the list
would be made public, since the fue
adminisi alton fears it would be
swamped with requests from other in
dustries. Some of the industries noti-
fled Of their exemption were steel mills
producing ship plates, wooIen mills
turning out goods for .he army and
navy, and certain domestic utilities,
including ice plants.
Fuel Administrator Garfield today
turned his personal attention to sup
plying bunker coal for ships held in
ports by lack of fuel.
Most of DR.. Garfield's staff was busy
issuing special rulings in response to
the flood of queries from every state
in the east asking exactly what form
of industries were included in the
order. Apparently the whole country
was much at sea as to just what the
order meant.
War Plants to Operate.
A correction issued by the fuel ad-
ministration this, morning on list of
exempted war industries prepared last
night by Secretaries Baker and
Daniels disclosed that most of the
plants producing strictly war NUM-
tions may operate rs usual. Virtually
all the gun factories. powder plants
and shell manufacturing concerns,
were included in the exemption.
DIR. Garfield's efforts to get bunker
coal ships in Atlantic ports is
prompted by the extremely critical
transport situation. The line of COM
munication between the United States
and Europe has been seriously crippled
not only by the lack of fuel but by the
vast amount of freight congested on.
docks all along the coast.
n Bunkering Ships Important.
Y Next to filing household require
ments DIR. Garfield considers that the
bunkering of ships is the most i'm
portant task just now of the fuel ad-
ministration.
Secretary McAdoo, 1t was Indicated
todny, might declare a railroad en-
barge against the shipment of more
situation on the docks was improved.
In ruling today that ice plants are
exempted from operation of the order,
the fuel administration held, however,
that in all cities wherever possible, the
plants should consolidate and that
one only should operate, distributing
it's output through the others. If
necessary for normal supply possibly
two will be allowed to run. This will
be left largely to the discretion of
local fuel administrators.
Wa hington, Jan. 18.-America felt
the pinch Of war todav with it's in
dustries hanging idle under the fuel
administrations order, issued to re-
lieve the coal shortage, and release fuel
for ships loaded with supplies for the
American army and the allies.
In the face Of protests, predicting
disastrous consequences, and formal
request from the senate to stay its ex-
eeution temporarily, the order was
signed last night by Administrator
Garfield with the approval of President
Wilson.
AS sent out to state fuel administra-
tors, the order contained but few
changes from the form of the abstract
made public Wednesday nor did it
clear up to any great extent the con-
fusion resulting from its lack of de-
tailed Interpretation.
BY it's provisions manufacturing
plants east of the Mississippi and in
Louisiana and Minnesota, with rare ex-
ceptions, will be closed for five days,
beginning today and virtually all bust
ness activity will be stopped on every
Monday for period of ten weeks, be- !
ginning Jan. II.
Exemptions Announced.
Through its application the fuel ad- |
ministration expects coal to move to |
essential consumers, including rail- |
roads, householders, public utilities and |
buildings, shipping interests and pro- |
ducers of food, in whose behalf the or |
der is issued.
A supplementary list of exemptions |
Issued last night embraces various in
dustries engaged in imperative war
work, shipyards working on navy con-
struction, plants filling contracts for |
army and navy woolen uniforms, tent |
and manufacturers of
other products deemed necessary for
immediate use of the military forces
were named in this list. In the orig
nal order, outline of which was made
public Wednesday night, newspapers
we're unaffected by the 5-day closing,
out limited to holiday editions on
leatless Mondays. Indication was
given also that plants requiring heat
% maintain themselves would be per-
nitted to burn coal for this purpose,
,ut would not be permitted to oper-
tie. This was Interpreted by many as
lpplying to blaslA furnaces. Protests
rom business interests throughout
he country and tn, storm in congress
continued today.
Action Would lie Too Late.
Indications were t,day that a pos
ble attempt might kbe mad in the
'enate to bring abottt the repeal of |,
hat section of the food law under
which the order was Issued, but many
believed that any acti4n in this direc-
ion would be too late.
Announcement that A.he use of all
orms of fuel, wood, oil, and natural
as as well as coal would be prohibited
aused considerable confusion today
nd strenuous efforts are promised to
ave wood. oil, natural gas and water ,
lower users exempted.
SPIRIT AS WELL AS LETTER
Chicago, Jan. 18.-More than one