Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-06
IIGHTLESS NIGHTS" FOR
D. E.. TO START TONIGHT;
u. S. BARS HIGHER COAL
Garfield Forbids In.
crease to Finance
Miners Raise.
Mines May Close if U. S.
Does Not Pay for
Diverted Fuel.

wages OF miners, Fuel AoHllHistrdtoi
Garfield declared today, after reading
press dispatches that Gov. Cox of Ohio
had proposed that miners and operators
% per cent advance in pay for the
men. DR.. Garfield indicated that the
government would interpose no objection
if the increase could be given without
advancing coal prices.
mo increase in Price,"
There will be no increase in the pres
ent price of coal as fixed under the
Lever act" DIR. Garfield said, mo mat
ter what local arrangements and agreeI
ments are put into effect"
He added that his position was abso-
lutely unchanged from that taken on
November 26 with the authorization OF
the cabinet DR.. Garfield explained then
in suggesting the IA per cent advance,
which the miners promptly rejected, that
he was not fixing wage scales and had
no authority to do so.
He indicated that the increase sug-
gested was merely that which the oper-
ators were able to grant without ad-
vancing the price of coal which the gov
eminent has fixed.
Mines to Close II U. s. Does Not Pay.
All bituminous coal mines now in
operation must close within a week I'M
less the railroad administration pays for
the coal it has confiscated or diverted,
said statement today by the American
Wholesale Coal Association.
The association said the railroad adj
ministration had refused to pay for the
coal until a price it considered fair had
been fixed by Fuel Administrator Gar
to change his price ruling
Mines which will be affected, the state
ment said, are producing now 5,400, 900
tons or coal, the sole supply for the ma
ton in the present crisis.
Oil Embargo Monday.
The railroad administration also es-
tablished an embargo, effective Mon
day. against shipments of fuel oil
from the west to points east of Chi
cago and st. Louis. This action, it
was explained. was necessary to con-
serve the small supplies of coal avail
able for the territory west of the
Mississippi river and to compel, where
Europe Pleads for Coal.
Europe is appealing to the United
States for coal and. with full knowl-
edge of the crisis in this country, has
asked officials to lift the embargo on
foreign shipments enough to relieve
dire need in certain regions on the
continent
eminent laid the case Of France be-
fore the central coal committee OF the
railroad administrator A delegation
of Swiss Representatives was in con-
ference with Fuel Administrator Car
field today. and described to him the
urgency Of the coal requirements dur
ing the next three months in Swift
q. 8. WIN Not Ala Europe.
It was said authoritatively that
Europe hasn't a chance" to get any
coal from the United States until do
nestle needs are supplied for the win
ter, With the American people doing
everything possible to conserve fuel.
even to the stoppage of important indus
tries and the restriction of transporta-
ton and the use of power to the mimi
mum, it was declared the people of
Europe can hardly expect the United
States to help them in the present cir
cumstances.
More Restrictions Unlikely.
The central coal committee and the
fuel administration do not contemplate
the issuance of moro restrictive regu-
lations, officials of those agencies said
today AS soon as the present con-
servation measures are fully applied in
all regions, 1t was pointed out that the
country will be able to limp along until
ccal production returns to normal or
close to it, The fuel administration
said production would be about so per
cent of normal the first of next week.
1t IS fuctuating from day to day. but
is gaining slightly. but steadily.
SO far as national restrictive regu-
lations go. they are insthe form OF
request to the public to save fuel by
every means. State and city officials
everywhere are. however, applying the
request IN the fora: OF alright Or
ders. Eastern cities. It was said, are
now taking fuel saving measures
which have been in effect in the Gen.
fa a
Ask Release From Local Rulings.
The fuel administration continues to
be flooded with te!egraphic appeals
from interests in various regions for
release from arbitrary rulings of
local officials. Almost all claims are
based on the plea of essential iE-
dustry." These appeals are being
turned over to the central coal COM
mittce for action.