Norwich bulletin., 1919-11-07

Washington, Nov. 6.-Still hopeful that court developments 2t Indianap- olis Saturday might point the way to an early ending of the coal strike, gov ernment agencies nevertheless put forth renewed and more determined ef9ors today to protect the public against distress almost certain to re- suit from a protracted suspension of mining operations.
 Realizing that the country is burn ing three times as much coal as the minec are turning out, the railroad administration, the great coal distrib- ut!ng agency, through it's recently cteated central coal committee, took drastic action in ordering that the supplying Of coal to foreign owned ships in American ports be stopped immediately.
 With calls for assistance from com nIurities suffering from a coal short age growing more numerous the rail- road administration turned loose every available car to meet the appeals for fuel
 Order; went to regional directors of the nations railroads from Director General Hines to eliminate train ser vice wncre absolutely necessary in the public interest, but it was officially an nounced that no general curtailments Cf service was contemplated.
 The discontinuance of foreign ton nage bunzering was the first general step toward curtailment of transpor- tation. The central committee made it plain that American owned ships and tonnage under the American flag would continue to receive coal sup plies but all other vessels will be com pclled to await the end of the strike.
 ( 4 ~. .... that taken by Great Britain during the recent strike of British coal miners. Officials would not predict the result Of the order as it was not known in Washington the amount of foreign tonnage now in American ports de- pendent on coal supplies from this country
 IL was apparent that the central committee considered that precedence must bc given to all land traffic in the matter of fuel distribution before even American ships will be accorded bunk ering permits. Priority regulations will be observed ito the letter" in divid- ing tho coal stocks, members of the committee said, as the supplies of coal 'will just about be able to take care of domestic demands and neces- sary ocean transportaation'
 Before leaving Washington tonight for Indianapolis, Assistant Attorney General Ames. in charge of the gov ernments case. declared there was nc change In its policy toward the strike and that he would endeavor to obtain renewal of its temporary inj1nc- ton.
 Reports from agents of the depart ment of justice and from miners and operators showed little overnight change in conditions, except that op- orators claimed IA union mines in .op- cratic min West Virginia. a gain of 32 over last Saturday. Officers of the American Federation Of Labor and representatives fthe miners denied these reports and asserted their owl, advices showed no crumbling of the uinon forces anywhere in the bi- luminous regions.
 There weFc rumors. apparently emanatins from high sources that the injunction hearing set for Saturday might go over for one week without prejudice to either side Equally per sistent were reports that Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, would make a personal appeal to Attorney Genera Palmer tomorrow for withdrawal o- the restraining order and all court proceedings on assurance that if this were done the strike could be set tied and the men put back to work ir the mines in 4S hours. MT. Palmer was out of the city. but the statement by Judge Ames that the government would not compromise the strike, which 1t held illegal. was accepted as the last word on the subject.
 Government officials took another look at stock reports and while these Indicated coal enough to meet imme. diate needs. the fact stared them ir the face that the daily consumption was around ten million tons. while th, daily output had hcen reduced by tht strike 10 about three and q half mil lion tons. It was easy, for man tt figure. they said, how long present stocks would last. assuming the bin were filled for an average run of thir ty- days