Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-01-23
COAL BAN SHUTS
ALL U.S.INDUSTRY
FOR FIVE DAYS
All Business Activities in the Unit
ed States to Suspend Begin
ming on Friday.
TEN MONDAYS ARE HOLIDAYS
Railroads, Householders, Public Utili-
ties Excepted From Regulations
Authorities Take Extreme Step
to Permit Railroads to Clear
Tracks to the Seaboard.

Washington, Jan. 17.-For five days,
beginning Friday, every industry in the
United States east OF the Mississippi
river, including even the war INDUS
tries, must close down.
The states of Minnesota and Louis
lana are included.
This is the command in the most
drastic and sweeping fuel priority
law every issued by the government.
Its purpose is to meet the coal famine.
The same order fixes every Monday
from January % to March -. inclu-
sive as u holiday. On such days all
theaters and other places of amuse-
ment must close. Other nonessential
business must curtail their activities.
Papers Held to One Edition.
Several exceptions were made with
regard to Industries like blast furnaces.
which would be ruined by any stop
page of their plants. and manufactur-
ers of perishable foodstuffs.
Newspapers are excepted entirely
from four of the five coalless days be
tween January Is and - inclusive.
but are limited TO holiday editions on
the nine Mondays designated, includ-
ing next Monday.
On such days they may only print
such editions as they are accustomed
TO issue on national holidays. Those
papers not accustomed to issue any
editions on such holidays may print
Onf mora than npa a1itinv
To Protect Business.
Every effort will be made by the
government TO carry out the order
without undue interference with bust
ness.
The priority order was issued fol-
House attended by the president, Fuel
Administrator Garfield, Secretary of
War Baker and Secretary of the Navy
Daniels
Between temporarily suspendilg the
vital war industries and meeting the
drastic severity of the coal famine
President Wilson chose the latter
course.
Administrator Garfield said that the
order will not only prevent delivery of
coal to all Industries for the five-day
period mentioned. but will prohibit the
use on these days of any reserve sup
plies This is done in order that per-
manent relief may be obtained by re-
stocking sCpi lies available for house
hold and public utilities use.
U. S. Urges No Lay-off
At the some time ii Is the urgent
desire of the government that the in
dustries affected shall not lay off their
employees during the interim. In Sc
lecting the days it took into consider
alton the fact that one is Sunday and
another is Saturday, which in some
Industries is a half holiday.
Text of Order.
The text of the administration coal
priority order is as follows:
Until further orders of the United
States fuel administrator all persons
selling fuel in whatever capacity shall
give preference to orders for necessary
requirements:
"(a) OF railroads
"(b) OF domestic consumers. hos
pitfalls, charitable institutions and army
anC navy environments.
"(c> Public utilities. telephones and
telegraph plants.
I'D Of ships and vessels for bunk
er purposes.
"(e) OF the United States for strict
iy governmental purposes. not includ-
ing orders from or for factories or
plants working on contracts for the
United States.
"(f) OF municipal, county or state
government for necessary public uses.
"(g) OF manufacturers of perish
able food OF food for necessary imme-
date consumption.
This order further provides that on
January Is. 10, 90, 81 and - of 1918
no fuel shall be delivered to any per
son. urm, association or corporation
fec any uses or requirements not in
cluded in the foregoing list until the
requirement included in the list shall
have been first delivered
CoalIess Mondays Outlined.
con January Is, 10. 20. 81 and 10
of 1918. and also on each and every
Monday beginning January IS. 1918,
and continuing up to and including
March -. 1918. no manufacturing
plant shall burn fuel or use power de-
rived from fuel for any purposes ex-
cept:
"(a) Such plants rs from their ma
ture must be continuously operated
seven days each week to avoid serious
injury to the plant itself OF its con
tents.
"(h) Manufacturers OF periShable
food.
"(cl Manufacturers Of food not per-
ishahle and rot Immediately in de
mand. who may burn fuel 10 such ex-
tent as Is authorized by the fuel ad-
minlstrator of the state in which such
plant is located or by his representa-
tive authorized therefor. upon appllca-