The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-01-17

The senate resumed consideration OF
the n itchcock resolution soon after
p.r,,.. After a quorum had been OBJ
tanned, Senator Reed began the making
of a verbal report on Or. 0arnelos
statement to the committee.
After Fuel Administrator Garfehl
left the senate committee hearing it
was indicated that even IT the senate
passed a resolution it did not follow
that the oder would be revoked, as the
administration regarded drastic action
necessary to relieve .he situation.
"The result of p. B. Noyes' trip to
Boston and New York this week to
gain information from business men,
railroad officials and state fuel admin
istrators led us to believe that an Or
der substantially as that issued, was
necessary" answered DR.. GarNelu.
Dr. Garfield explained his recent or
der giving state administrators power
to divert coal, but said he did not au-
thorize them to take coal from one
plant and give it to another.
Protests by industries against va
rious rulings, he said, convinced him
that general curta.lment plan
should be put into effect.
Gould not the same end be reached
by allowing factories having coal to
operate" asked Vardaman.
II don't think so. The factory with
fuel will be out in a few days and
conditions would not be remedied,"
was answered.
The hearing then adjourned.
DR.. Garfield went before the COM
mttee shortly after 2 o'clock and told
his reasons for issuing the order. The
fuel and railroad situation, he said.
made the action imperative.
"The purpose of the order" said DR..
Garfield, sis not to interfere in the
slightest with the loading of coal at
the mines. This is made clear in the
| amplification of the abstract"
No Class Preference.
A modification decided on this morn
ing DR.. Garfield said, put all consum--
! ers in the preferential list on an equal
basis, with no preference shown TO
| any one class. ~ tsh
DIR. Garfield said that the plan was
! to permit certain war industries TO
operate despite the order. Shipbuild-
ing, he said, was one of them, but II
the industries which are to be ex-
empted were classified in the order, 1t
would cause a storm of protest and
embarrass the fuel administration. DR..
Garfield said Secretaries Baker and
Daniels were preparing such list.
Ships and Planes Exempt.
! The list of exempted industries, DR..
Garfield said, would include those i'm
medately necessary in the conduct OF
the war Aside from shipping and
! airplanes, he said, he did not know
what the list would contain.
| The order was made necessary, DR..
! Garfield. said by transportation con-
had ir1n
/ to supply industries and at the same
! time furnish home and public utilities.
! The necessity for moving ships was
/ so great that drastic measures were
t compulsory.
| Urges Pay for Labor.
"T have been discussing THIS with
! business men for month";" said Gar
field 'Tf companies fail to pay wages
for these idle days they will not be
doing their part"
! Senator Reed adjourned the hear
! ing at 1920 o'clock and the commit
teemen then returned to the senate.
AS DR.. Garfield came from the COM
mittee room delegation from the
! Chamber of Commerce of the United
States intercepted him and they re-
entered the room for a conference.
! I'VE want to find out what 1t all
means" said Waddill Catchings, of
New York 1--WE knew nothing of the
order until we read about it in the
newspapers this morning"
"This order was issued because
of a lack of coal for private con-
sumers and utilities" said he.
This was not caused by lack of
production, but, as we all know.
by conditions we have faced since
Dec. s." The fuel administrator
evidently referred to weather con-
/ ditions.
Not to Stop Deliveries.
"The purpose of the order is
not to interfere with loading cars
with coal and sending them for
ward" he continued. 1--WE, do not
interfere with the mines from
consigning coal during the five
days in the normal, natural way.
And it does not affect delivery of
coal by Dealers"
The section of the order marked
CO. published today has been
changed to make that clear, he
said. All coal mined and arriv-
ing at destination in the five
days period under contract will
be turned over tc state fuel ad-
ministrators.
DR.. Garfield told the commit