River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-01-24
Washington Letter
(By James a. Frear, NJ. Co.

IL, W0lc0 may nave 65Cdpeu SeUSl al
attention. Pursuant to authority
conferred by Congress, licenses must
be had affecting the importation,
manufacture. storage, mining or dis
tributiOn of any necessaries and con-
trolling and distribution Of food
products and fuel. All persons made
subject to license IS set forth in the
proclamation, are required to apply
for license to the Food Administrator
and the order further provides that
any person falling to do so prior to
February 18th, will be liable to the
penalty provided by the Act. The
proclamation covers eight different
classes, from those who manufacture
products derived from wheat or rye
down to those who manufacture
tomato catsup and import or distri-
butte peanuts. Those who import or
manufacture products from shelled
corn, ear corn, oats, barley, buck
wheat or sorghum cane are also re-
CURED to get licenses in time.
Licenses of coal dealers in this city
were temporarily withheld, in sever
al cases, upon information that un-
reasonable proftswere being charged
and the proclamation of January 10
extends the scope of licensing to
those who import ard manufacture
food products named in the Presi-
dents order.
The acuteness OF the coal situation
is measured by DR.. Garfield, Fuel
Administrator, who has ordered that
for five consecutive days, beginning
this week, and on nine Mondays
thereafter all industries be suspended
where not directly related to imper
alive food and war supplies. Certain
exceptions are noted, but the sweep
ing character Of the order indicates
the immediate necessity of coping
with a coal famine. Matters are
happening daily which, ordinarily,
would startle the country, but peo-
pie as a whole are accepting all reg
ulations with the understanding that
by so doing the Government will be
aided.
Governor Philip has urged the
delegation from Wisconsin to look
after the States interests in the
matter of state taxation of railways.
The new federal control order brings
about conflicting state and federal
interests, but upon inquiry it appears
that so far as possible, little if any
interference is contemplated with
state matters affecting railways and
the state taxes which go to make up
Il considerable portion of our state
revenues will be continued in much
the same way they have been paid
in the past.
There are only fifteen available
expert oXyacelytene welders in the
country according to figures submit
ted to the Government by the vari-
Gus unions. These oxyacelytene
Welders are needed for quick repair
work III the field during the present
wal. They weld broken axles for
army trucks, repair machinery, and
with the white hot gas fame that is
their tool, they destroy the heavy
guns abandoned in retreat. In this
way 600 German guns captured
by the British during this war were
generally found useless through the
work of German welders of whom
10000 were reported at the begin
ming of the war to be in the Kaiser's
service, and that number undoubted-
+ has been greatly increased. 1t is
Of utmost Importance that the fiji
teen American welders be increased
Immediately a thousand fold and
that is one of the many preparedness
problems the Government is study
ing through system of vocational
training just inaugurated. Accord
ing to q statement before me the
American Army is in need of 1,164
blacksmiths, 4,338 bakers. 1900
sheet metal workers, IL ,643 electric
ians, 30, 968 repair men, So, 124 chauff-
ers and thousands of men in other
trades who are required to carry on
the war in France. No longer can
troops fight in the old Indian border
style. Wars are now won or lost by
great guns, quick transportation,