Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-11-18
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
ARE SUMMONED TO
CHICAGO
j. s. FACES CRISIS
MANY MEN MAY BE FORCED INTO
lDLENES.S ie DRASTIC STEPS
ARE DECIDED BY ADMiNiSTRA.
TION EMBARGO THE
ONLY REMEDY.
fRy the Associated Press ,


Chicago. Nov. ls.-Director General
Of Railroads Walker d. Hines AMI
seven regional directors will meet
here late today to consider the nece s.
si;y Of declaring a nation vide freight
embargo TO conserve the country's
meager supply Of coal. Mr.. Hines /,
expected to arrive in Chicago at p,
m. and his conference with the re.
giOnal directors on the fuel question
will. 1t is said occupy the entire after
noon.
The conditions growing out OF the
present emergency were informally
discussed this morning by the regional
directors. who planned to have a
definite program ready 10 submit to
TED ~ Gene rat Hines later in the
day II Director General Hines & -
proves the recommendation o. his re
gtonal directors an order may be is
sued Immediately wn.ch will moan.
Nationwide embargo on freight
A 10 per cent cut in passenger train
service throughout he country
CfCsing down Of all non-essential in
dustries.
Fifteen million workmen viii BE-
thrown out Of employment. The Vt-
uation is extremely sericr "Tmm'-
diate action is necessary SAID K. H.
Ashton director of the northNn nstern
region. today.
The railroads are vital to he bu,i
ness life cf the nation and they must
be kelt going Radical action must
be taken.
My judgment is that a genera EN-
barge Is the only way TO meet the
needs OF the present emergency
Supply Short in Chicago.
Chicago, Nov, Is Further drastic
steps to conserve the steauilv dwnd-
ling coal supply today were in pros.
pect. Brought to full realization OF
the condition to be faced SHOULD the
approximately $4,000 Dituminous coal
miners who went on strike more tnan
two weeks ago continRe to remain Idle,
Walker ID. Hines, tedeFal director gel.
eral OF railroads today was to discus ;
with seven regional directors the plac-
ing of national embargo. Except for
North Dakota. Wyoming and some
Alabama and West Virginia mines pro-
reported as not bettered since tne in
itial day of the walkout, The workers
generally were said to 1e diSrcgarding
the strike recall order dispatched b%
John L. Lewis, acting president of the
United Mine Workers of America I'M
der orders of the federal court and to
be awaiting an agreement by the Lp-
orators and miners. leaders at Wash
ington.
"A general embargo is the only
way to handle the situation" said K.
n. Ashton. director of the Northwest
railroad region. We have had it ua-
der constant consideration.
Only from ten to twelve days sup.
ply of fuel today was available Tor
railroads of the central western re,
gion to +. r, Clarity, assistant direc-
tor of the area. Regarding the gen.
eral embargo he said the final decision
probably would be made today. 1T is
revolutionary move" he said nut
is Is necessary to save the railroads
and with the railroads the country. 1t
has been under consideration some
time"
Receiver Operates Mines.
Pittsburg, Kan, NOV 1s.--First step.
toward operation Of the coal mines OF
Crawford and Cherokee counties under
a receivership created for the pur
pose by the state supreme court were
to be taken here today. 1t was de
clared that unless present plans wen'
ter was purely optional with the
in few days.
Whether the men would resume
work was question asked today
However In view Of statements b,
some OF the leaders here that the mat
ter was purely optioneai with the The
strikers themselves.
Miners Have Counter Proposal.
Washington, Nov is Negotiations
between btumnOus coal miners aht
operators in the central competitive
field continued at standStill today
the operators again obtaining post
ponement Of the joint conference o
wage scale committees on the groun'
and their counter proposal hhd no
been completed.
The operators were said to be con
sidering very carefully where tn