The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-01-24
Excess Production to Blame.

Excess Production to Blame.
at has been excess of production II
our wartime speeding up that has dom
so much to cause congestion of on
railroads, that has filed the freigh
yards to overflow that has flooded The
docks of our Atlantic ports with goods
waiting TO go abroad; ''
AT tidewater the flood of freight
was stopped. The ships We're Unable
to compete the Journey from our fac
tories to the war depOtS behind the
! firing line. tH
added to this has been difficulty OF
transporting coal for our own domes
has come one of the most terribly Sc.
we're winters we have known In years
"The wheels were choked and
stopped; zero weather has Snow-bOund
trains; terminals cOngested, harbOrs
with shipping frozen in rivers and
canals impossible. 1t was useless to
continue manufacture and pile confu-
sion on top Of confusion. ''.
Effect on Mines Dioa3trous.
"a clear. line from the manufacture
ing establishment TO the seaboard and
beyOnd-that was the imperative need.
1t was like soldiers marching to the
front. The men of the foremost rank
must have room to move.
"MOre than a shock was needed to
make Il way through that congestion
ar tho terminals onJ on tho 1nclye .o
that the aid so vitality needed by the
allies could get through. E.E.
'"The incidental effect Of this trans
portation system on coal production
has been disastrous. There IL and al
ways has been plenty Of fuel, but, it
cannot be moved to those places where
it is so badly needed while railroad
lines and terminals are choked.
Throughout the coal fields scores,
even hundreds of mines are lying idle
because of railroads inability to sup
ply the cars TO carry away their prod
uctS.
Must Pay Any Cost.
Goal mines cannot operate without
cars. Cars cannot be supplied while
the railroads are crippled by the pres
ent freight congestion, which keeps
idle cars lying useless in the freight
yards. ..
''In the past week the production of
coal has been disastrously reduced.
Reports in some cases have shown so
per cent of the mines in certain fields
closed completely for the lack of cars.
''This is war Whatever the cost. we
must pay it, so that in the face of the
enemy there can never be the reproach
that we held back from doing our full
share.
'Those ships laden with our supplies
and our food for men and food for
guns must have coal and put to sea-"
Garfield's Revised Order.
The text of the revised coal order,
issued by Doctor Garfield reads:
"A regulation making provision for
more adequate supply of fuel for rail
roads, domestic consumers, public util-
tiles and other uses necessary to the
security. -.
The United States fuel administra-
tor, acting under the authority Of an
executive order of the president of
the United States, dated August %,
1917, appointing said administrator in
furtherance of the purpose of said Or
der and of the purposes of the act of
congress therein referred to, approved
August 10, 1917, finding it essential to
carry out the provisions of
this act, to make provision for more
adequate supply of fuel for railroads.
domestic consumers, public utilities
and for other uses necessary to the
security in certain parts of
the United States, hereby makes and
prescribes the following regulations:
Section /. Until further orders of
the United States fuel administrator
oil persons selling fuel, in whatever
shall, in filling their contracts
for orders now on hand, give prefer
ence to necessary current requirements
Of railroads, domestic consumers hos.
pitfalls, charitable institutions, army and
navy cantonments,. public utilities, by
product coke plants supplying gas for
household uses. telephone and tele-
graph plants, Shipping for bunker Dur-
poses, the United States, for strictly
purposes mot including
factories or plants working on cen
tracts for the United StateS), maEu-
facturers of perishable food or OF food
for necessary immediate consumption
and municipal, county or state govern
lnents for necessary public uses.
Divert Surplus to Other Orders.
"Any tonnage remaining after the
foregoing preferred shipments have
been made may be applied in filling
any other contracts or orders.
"Sec. 2. On the following days
namely, January Is, 10, 20, q and y,
191S-the state fuel administrators and
their accredited representatives In the
various communities in the territory In
which this regulation applies are here
by empowered and directed to divert
such fuel as arrives in communities
In carload lots to keep current require
ments and to provide an adequate ana
normal supply for such consumers OF
fnel as are specified In section hereof.
oil ma 1OUC-