Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-30

ing coal in transit. The practice
thus resorted to is a practice which
railroads have always employed in
emergencies, whether under private
or public control, and has been rec
ognized as indispensable to tho
maintenance of an essential public
service.
Order of Priority
"In holding such coal, exemptions
will be made as far as possible of
coal destined to certain classes of
consignees ir the following order of
priority, which Is the basis of pricr-
ity adopted dur,n~ the 'Har by the
Fuel Administration:
''1-Steam railroads, inland and
coastwise vessels.
"2-Domestic, including hotels,
hospitals and asylums.
"3-Navy and Army.
"4-Public utilities, including
plants and such portions of plants
as supply light, heat and water for
public use.
"5-Producers and manufacturers
of food, including refrigeration.
"6-National, State, county and
municipal government emergency
requirements.
emergency requirements not speci-
fled above.
S-Producers of newsprin: paper
ard plants necessary to the printing
and publication of daily newspapers.
Coal held transit is not to be
unloaded in storage nor used until
actually needed, so that if it's use is
later round unnecessary it can be for
warded to destination Wherever
practicable.
INSTRUCTIONS issued provide that
there will be IS little disturbance IA
possible in the distribution of coal
put at the same lime protecting the
necessities of the railroads, which
nave a public d,'.y to pe form"
government machinery is ready
to-day to deal with the strike of half
a million soft coal miners which is
called for Saturday.
AFTER policy of patience, with
the nope that the catastrophe would
De aYerted, agencies of the Govern
ment came to the fore when tbe
miners organization at Indiananolis
py railing to withdraw the strike
order, placed the country face to
race with the prospects of a deartb
OF 1uel at the approach of winter
ana the idleness of a vast horde ~
workmen. VI
Means for the protection of +ho
pubic and of those miners who orc
not IN sympathy with the strike a,e
provided under the Government 70
prosram. Plans are drawn for the
IeVlVal OF the price control regula-
uons suspended when the fuel ad-
ruary 1, which gives assurancos
against profiteering and NAV mean
the early drop in the price of coal
Ihe food and fuel control law
with its criminal penalties of fine
ana Imprisonment, is to be enforced
under the Governments plan on
those miners who go on strike and
thereby curtail production In an
nouncing the plans, Attorney General
Palmer said they did not affect the
right OF workers to strike for redress
OF grievances in other cases where
no Violation of the law is involved.
Governments Attitude
The government will establish tho
"illegality" of the strike of coal
miners, without in any way i'm
pairing the general right to strike"
as the general right to strike is
not an issue in any sense whatever
In the present situation" it was de-
clared in statement issued last
night after a conference in the office
of Attorney General Palmer, al
which he discussed the situation
with Secretary Wilson, Director
General Hines, Secretary Tumulty
and Assistant Attorneys General
Ames and Garvan
The statement, which it was said
fully represents the attitude of the
government, declared that the i'm
pending coal strike was ordered
in manner. fef the purpose and
with necessary effect. which taker
t1ge-her. put 1t outside the pale of
the law
One decision of the government