Republican farmer., 1919-10-31
GOVERNMENT ACTS QUICKLY ID MEET
 STRIKE SITUATION
Re-establishment of Pri- critics List of Fuel Ad- ministration to Keep Railroads, Public Util- ities and Essential h. dustries Going.

Washington, Oct. 3O-Feder- al government agencies moved swiftly today to meet the situa-
 ton which will result from the strike of bituminous coal miners Saturday.
 Developments included:
 "Orders to railroads to con-
 fiscate all coal in transit if
 necessary to build up and re- serve for operation of the roads.
 Re establishment of the priorities list of the fuel administration so that the, railroads, public service utilities and essential industries will have first call on whatever coal is mined and on that in storage
 Preparation of an executive order establishing maximum prices for coal and completion of plans by the de- partment of justice to punish those guilty of profiteering and boarding.
 Announcement by Secretary Lane VI ita.te to curtau consumption of coal in industries 50 per cent, so that es- sential industries might be kept in operation.
 General discussion of the situation by President Wilson's cabinet which met in special session at the call of Secretary Lansing.
 Working out of plans by which miners who wish to continue work will be afforded every possible protec- tion, including that of federal troops, should that become necessary. At the conclusion of the special cabinet meeting, Attorney General Palmer announced that the fuel ad- ministrator would take control of the handling of the coal and would use his authority under the Lever Act to take whatever steps might be neces- sary to meet the situation. Tn order to interfere as little as possible with the normal course of coal traffic, the railroad administra- ton up to the present time, has per mitted coal to go to the designated consignees. For the last two weeks open top equipment has been devoted to coal leading to the exclusion of other classes of traffic and the move ! ment of such equipment has been ex-
 
 mum production of coal. The result has been an exceptionally heavy coal 1 production.
 .'It having become necessary, how ever, to be prepared to insure against all temporary contingencies, that the | transportation service be protected, regional directors have now been in structed to see that each railroad shall accumulate a necessary reserve 1 of coal when it is not already on hand, purchasing such coal If possible and otherwise holding coal in transit. The practice thus resorted to is a | practice which railroads have always employed in emergencies whether un- 1 der private or public control and has been recognized as indispensable to | the maintainance of an essential pub 1 lie service.
 Tn holding such coal, exemptions will be made as far as possible of | coal destined to certain classes of consignees in the following order of 1 priority, which is the basis of priority adopted during the war by the fuel administration:
 "1-Steam railroads; inland and ! coastwise vessels.
 l "2-Domestic, including hotels, hos pitals and asylums.
 31Navy and army. "A Public utilities, including plants and such portions of plants as supply light, heat and water for pub lie use.
 '5-Producers and manufacturers of food, including refrigeration. "6-National, state, county and municipal government emergency re quirements. "7-Bunkers and other marine ! emergency requirements not specified above.
 i 'S-Producers of newsprint papers and plants necessary to the printing g and publication of daily newspapers. Coal held in transit is not to be unloaded in storage nor use until ac- tually needed, so that if its use is later found necessary 1t can be for warded to destination whenever prac- ticable.
 Instructions issued provide that there will be as little disturbance as possible in the distribution of coal but at the same time protecting the 1 necessities of the railroads which l have a public duty to perform"