Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-12-03
iowa OPERATORS
PLEDGE SUPPORT
TO DR.. GARFIELD
Will Cooperate in Any Meas
ure Adopted to Obtain Coal
Cannot Use Volunteer
Or UnskiIIed Labor.

Des Moines, Ia, Dec. 2,-Iowa
coal operators as a body here today
pledged their undivided support tc
DR.. Garfield, federal fuel admins.
traitor, to fully cooperate with the
government and put into effect any
further orders of the government
looking to furnishing coal. A tele,
gram to that effect was sent to DR.
Garfield tonight.
No attempt will be made to oper.
ate the Iowa mines with unskilled
or volunteer labor, the operators
said. Natural conditions are such as
to prevent such operation.
The telegram to the fuel admins
tration was written after long SEES.
sion of operators. 1t sets forth tina!
the operators realize the seriousness
Of the situation. that prompt action
is necessary and the Serious crisis
is paramount to any individual ideas
or pecuniary interests" The mes
Says says further that the notice OF
ID per cent increase in wages has
been posted in Iowa, but without
result.
Operators from Boone, Ia, where
it was reported during the afternoon
that all agreement had been reached
under which the mine owners would
offer the workmen 81 per cent in
crease, with the understanding that
the operators would be allowed to
charge ST ton more for coal, to-
night denied any agreement had been
reached. They said suggestions to
that effect had been made to them
and to the miners, but no agreement
had been reached. and there was no
change in the situation at Boone.
The suggestion was advanced by
civic interests attempting to effect a
plan by which Boone could get coal,
the operators from there said.
Effective tomorrow morning the
business day in Des Moines will be
cut to four to six hours, according
to the nature of the business, be-
cause of lack of fuel. Factories and
jobbing houses may be open from
9 to 3 o'clock, stores, including drug
and grocery. other business con-
Germs, and offices from 10 a. m. to 4
o. M. and eating establishments from
10 a. m. to 7:30 p. m, Street car
service will be curtailed about two
thirds. The action was ordered by
fuel distribution officials.
Use of Coal Restricted.
All through the state the use
of coal is being restricted to the
barest needs and efforts of local fuel
heads are being devoted to the work
of securing sufficient coal to keep
the householders and hospitals from
suffering and to keep city water
pumping stations in operation. Elec-
trio light plants are running on re-
strictive schedules, all unnecessary
street lighting and other uses hav-
ing been cut off.
Governor Harding and Fuel Adj
Charles Webster are IN
Chicago in conference with regional
directors of railroads and with fuel
heads and coal dealers in an effort
to secure coal for Iowa. The gov
ernor attended the conference OF
governors called by the chief execu7
tive of Missouri.
The institution at Glenwood was
saved from closing down Monday
by a small supply OF coal from
Omaha and Chicago. The other
state institutions have secured suf-
hcient coal to tide them over a day
or so.
After many plans for the contin-
uing in operation of the inebriate
hospital at Knoxville have been dis
cussed and abandoned the instittu-
ton has finally been closed by the
state board of control and the
twelve inmates sent home. A suf-
hcient force Of employees will be
kept on duty to take care of the
and grounds and the land
will be farmed under the direction
Of the parole board this coming sea-