The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-09

Vigorous efforts viii be made tn
haye Industries vital to the welfare OF
Virginia cites supplied with coal dc
spite their being listed as nou-csxcF'-
tiSls hS the fuel administration.
This was the course of action decid-
ed up0n at tho meeting Of repreSep-
tatis cs Of chambers nf commerce and
municipalities from all over NTEia3
held yesterday IN the a;iice OF Cover
nor Davis.
A committee OF seven Was appoint
~d 10 meet Iatrr in the afternoon ana
decide on the best means 81 bringing
local conditions 10 the attention of
Fuel Adnatnlstra Ga -field- The
purpose of this committee is TO have
certain indus ties whose continued
operation * OF vital importance sup
pl.re with coal. irrespective of their
position on the priority list
Tao situa ton confronting Virginia
clearly presented tv men Thoroughly
far siar with the subject h this;
"A, large percentage OF the pepula-
x1i9xr ~ nc rctjs1eut far u ksstxtng efa<-
eoeies as non css thai inaIsfrsnH do
NotSu1anutarttre food -erHfse, the thou-
eNti6e pf factories do not rssnufacture
Eeofk 81 ufss, the thousands OF en-
plrycs cannot purchase food or fuel
X their only source of income Ia sur
denly abolished, The state OF at
fairs precipitatsd In these com rlunt-
tics by the enforced odieness and pau
porism OF thousands of citizens would
b chaotic ana disastrous.
TOBACCO INDUSTRY
The tobacco industry probably ea-
employs more men and women IN VIZ
Efnia than an yotber on the non~es-
0ontiai list In Richmond. = 600
people would he thrown into idleness
tf the toDaccns were forced To dis2ofa-
tinue
The city of Danviile has many to-
6acco factories and also a large anTn-
har Of textile mills. Both of these are
chased as non essentials All but
fowr factries in that city are sup
plied with POWER hy the city plant
The city has six weeks supply of
coal aud has thus for disrsgaraod the
order Of the fuel administrator. feel
ing tnat common sense should I've OK
errjscd until an appeal could he taken
and permission obtained from Wash
lngton.
Governor Davis called the meeting
- order and presided until John g.
Easlcy was chosen as chairman by
TIE body. Representa- tiyes OF the
various chambers OF commerce we're
the masked TO present the situation IN
their localities. Secretary White. OF
TArtcrshurc chamber OF commerce,
nd that the trunk and tobacco In ..
tiuMries employed many thousands on
people in his city. fiis idea OF luat
arrangement avs 10 put factories o.
every class on fifty per cent basis
And abolHt existing lists OF essenual
and non essential industries
A. l. Roper. mayor of Norfolk,
stressed the necessity for immediate
oction in obtaining for Virginia an
adequate coal supply. He said that
6lsoso who persisted would he the
ones to benefit and that Virginia
could not sit still and expect coal in
UufI4ctent quantities.
The idea OF ceasing to export coal
pepduced In this state was not given
enrious consideration. The concen-
sus Of opinion was that the fuel ad-
naturalization would give Virginia just
treatment If tho situation was made
known.
TO SEE GARFIELD
The following me were chosen by
chairman Easiey TO present Yirgiria's
cfaiIms to Mr.. Garfield: J., A. Massey,
Nswp port News, Fchairman: A, L.
Hbpcr, Norfolk. Frank Tablet. Dan
VIafc*g n C.. Walker. Charlottesville:
an n: Williams, Aicxanirta; William
q Reed. Richmond and Lee Long.
UMn<c.
The .corSmittee met at five o'clock
~ the Ncstmoreland club to decide
on q couFses sOf action. After an an
formal discussion. 1t was decided that
Tia vAF3pup communities should pre-
sent. their individual claims 10 the
committee Immediately. hcse facts
WI ID assembled and q Statement OF
4hA neede8of the entire state. with the
rlASom for the needs. will be laid
d4GrG Mr.. tsarheld.
M STINT spn. representing the West
N3EiniA Coal company ct the con-
forShce. exhibited complete familiar
~ with the situation and predicted
: return 40 norm al conditions in this
statc w1thtn = week after the strike
~ called Co.,
Mr. Hopkins. of Alexandria, ex-
pressed considerable pessimism in
HIS short talk at the conference. He
stated that another emergency would
arise In six n,cthH, Il this one was
1ttied, and that the real question
80 whether we VIII Be run BY labor
(Continusd a FASe Twcl