Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-11-07
GOAL SUPPLY 70
 FOREIGN SHIPS
 STOPPED BY !, s,
Washington Looks To Indiana polls Court Decision TOmOr-
 row to End Strike. SHIPPING MAY BE
 TIED UP AS RESULT Order Similar to That Given by Eng land During British Rail Strike Land Traffic to Get
 Preference.

Washington, Nov. 6.-Still hopeful that court developments at Indiana polls on Saturday might point the way to an early ending of the coal strike, government agencies never theless, put forth renewed and more determined efforts today to protect the public against distress almost certain to result from protractea suspension of mining operations.
 Realizing that the country is burn ing three times as much coal as the mines are turning out, the railroad administration, the great coal dis tributing agency, through it's recent ly created central coal committee. took drastic action in ordering that the supplying of coal to foreign owned ships in American ports be stopped immediately.
 l With calls for assistance from communities suffering from coal shortage growing more numerous. the railroad administration turned loose every available car to meet the appeals made for fuel
 Orders went to refional directors of the nations railroads from Dir ector General Hines to eliminate train service where necessary in the public interest, but it was officially announced that no general curtail- ment of service was contemplated. | The discontinuance of foreign ton mage bunkering was the first general step taken by the government since the coal strike began last Saturday toward curtailment of transportation The central committee made it plain that American owned ships and tonnage under the American flag would continue to receive coal supplies, but all other vessels, as the situation now exists, will be com- pelled to await the end of the strike.
 Aid Land Traffic.
 The committees action is similar to the recent strike of British coal min CTS. Officials would not predict the result of the order, but it was not known in Washington the amount of l foreign tonnage now in American ports dependent on coal supplies from this country. Vessels now being hunkered, in event they are foreign owned. will be tied up, as we'll as all such incoming vessels with insuffi- cient supplies in their holds to make the return trip. Many vessels in the transatlantic service and now in European ports, it was considered, would remain on that side of the At lantic unless facilities were available for taking on enough coal for the round trip voyage.
 It was apparent that the central committee considered that preced- ence must be given to all land traf- fife in the matter of fuel distribution before even American ships will be accorded bunkering permits. Priority regulations will be observed "to the letter" in dividing the coal stocks, members of the committee said, as the supplies of coal on hand and in transit twill just about be able to take care of domestic demands and necessary ocean transportation.
 Before leaving Washington to- night for Indianapolis, Assistant Alt torney General Ames, in charge of the governments case, declared there was no change in it's policy toward the strike and that he would en- deavor to obtain a renewal of it's temporary injunction.
 | Reports from agents of the depart ment of justice and from miners and operators showed little overnight change in conditions, except that operators claimed A union mines in West Virginia( gain of 32 over last | Saturday. Officers of the American Federation of Labor and representa- tives of the miners denied these re- ports and asserted their own advices showed no crumbling of union forces anywhere in the bituminous regions.
 May Delay Hearing.
 There were rumors, apparently emanating from high sources, that the injunction hearing set for Satur- day might go over for one week with out prejudice to either side. Equally persistent were reports that Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, would make a personal appeal to Attorney General Palmer tomorrow for withdrawal or the restraining order and all court proceedings, on assurance that if this were done the strike could be settled and the men put back to work in the mines in 48 hours. Mir Palmer was out of the city. but the state ment by MT. Ames that the govern ment would not compromise the srike, which it held illegal, was ac- cepted as the last word on the sub ject.
 Dismissal of all court proceedings asked for today by the unions. wit make it possible, labor leaders said for the two sides, through their full scale committees, to negoti6te n6N wage agreement at one ifti19. Jee,