Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-19

Washington, Jan. 1s.-The nations manufacturing industry in the twenty eight states east of the Mississippi river was virtually suspended today in obedience to the governments or der forbidding the use of fuel.
 Most of the plants engaged on war contracts were exempted from the or der's operation in telegrams sent out last night, but few of them learned of It in time and a great majority of them closed with the other factories.
 War Work Not Affected.
 The country at large knew nothing of exemptions except the few au- nounced last night, and it was not un- til late this afternoon that the fuel administration admitted officially that important war work was not affected by the order and gave out a list of hundreds of factories that may con- tinue on government contracts only during the five days closing period. Confusion attending enforcement of the order was general. Such a flood of telegrams poured into the offices ot the fuel administration asking inter- pretations and rulings and requesting information concerning exempted in  was given to the press for publica- ton.
 Uneauivoeal Support For the Order. The day brought a statement of unequivocal support for the order from President Wilson and a vigorous defense by Fuel Administrator Gar field of the step and the government purpose in taking it
 Opposition to the order in congress apparently spent itself in debate ir both houses. During the day Dr Garfield replied to the senate's request of yesterday that the order be sus- pended for five days, disclaiming any purpose to be discourteous. declinins to comply and again pointing out thu necessity for enforcement of his or. der.
 No Cheek on Food.
 Food Administrator Hoover in statement interpreted the order | mean that no check would be put ol tn eoperations of any sore of foo' handling, manufacturing or distribut ing. The plants exempted from list pre- pared by Secretaries Baker and Dan iels are those manufacturing ga masks, explosives for the govern ment, rifles. pistols, machine guns an small arms ammunition; forgiugs flo the operations of any sort of foo tool steel for war purposes, destroye: and destroyer parts, seamless tube and condenser tubes, aircraft and air craft parts, signal corps equipmen locomotives, equipment for ship' woolen goods fer the army and nav! white duck and tentings for the gov nd arx&i~o. c1rnnlioS
 Shipyards ssd Steel Plants.
 All shipyards, although not include in the exempted list, will continue ] operation under a special ruling a will hundreds of plants turning or materials which enter directly into tn manufacture of army and navy sur plies.
 Most of the big steel plants and large number of the country's auto mobile factories are included in th list
 Among the collateral industrie which will be chased as not comin within the provisions of the ordt will be virtually all mines producin ores
 Tn his statement supporting D Garfield's issuance of the closing ol der President Wilson says he ws consulted and fully agreed with tt fuel administrator as to its necess ty. If the action had not been take he declares, immediate relief could n have been found for the fuel and II transportation shortage.
 The situation in Atlantic ports dre most of Dr. Gar6eld's attention tod: while his assistants struggled wi the great volume of requests for il terpretations of the general terms the order. Fuel administration rel resentatives were dispatches to u principal Atlantic ports there to r main until every ship held up for las of fuel has it's bunkers filled. R ports tonight to the administraht said that the situation would beg to improve immediately and that u more than a million tons of shfppf1 detained would be on its way with a short time.
 Railroad Embargoes Disapprowed.
 Suggestions that a railroad emba 20 be declared on the shipment goods from factories shut down al on the movement of materials to Atlantic seaboard were disapprov today by Secretary McAdoo, directo general of railroads, who said that t railroad congestion would be clear in a few weeks. Fuel administrah officials favor an embargo and behe it would materially aid in improv1l not only transportation conditions, D the fuel situation as well.
 Reports to the fuel administrati' said that observance of the order the territory to which it applies W general. Some few violations we noted and the department of justi will be asked to investigate throui Its local representatives.
 Violations Due to Misunderstanding
 Most of the violations, 1t was lieved. were due to misunderstandil and lack of information. In eoI states federal fuel officials themselv misunderstood the order and attemp I'd to close down plants operated water power over which the fuel a utnistration has no control.
 Dr. Garfield declared tonight tn vhile 1t would be comparatively ca