The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-07-26
WAR MEASURES
CO INTO EFFECT
RESULT STRIKES
Interstate Commerce commis n
Takes Over Control In support
OF National Emergency De-
eiaratlon: Powers seeplng.
BUILDING ADMINISTRATION
RIVALNC WAR TIME LISTS
presidential Committee TO BE
Named; Equitable Distribution Of
Necessities be Aim: Control
Rail Rolling Stock.


Washington. July 20. - Wartime
measures were In effect today as
the Interstate commerce commission,
holding that national emergency
exists because of the twin railroad
and coal strikes. assumed sweep.
Ing control OF railroad rolling stock
and took over direction of the dis.
tribution of food. fuel and other
hecessarles required TO sustain the
life OF the naticr.
BY declaring national emer-
gency. an unprecedented step in
peace times. the commission has
powers rivaling those exercised by
the government when Il took over
the railroads during the war
The government today was build
ing up an emergency administration
similar to the wartime foods and
fuel administration which will aid
the commission in carrying out its
extraordinary powers.
President Harding today or TO.
morrow will appoint presidential
committee" to be composed of repre-
sentatives of the interstate COM
merce commission, the department
of commerce, justice and interior,
which will cooperate with the COM
merce commission In the issuance of
priorities and other orders designat-
ed to secure an equitable distrihu-
tion of necessaries and to prevent
profiteering. This committee will
be in close touch with the situation
throughout the country and will
make recommendation to the COM
meree commission.
Reports of profiteering In coal will
come to this committee, which will
order investigation by newly
formed department of commerce
price reporting organization, and will
take steps to deny cars to any mine
owner found charging exorbitant
rates. Profiteering by retail coal
dealers may be checked by routing
coal only to those who will sell at
fair prices.
The commerce commissions pow
err is virtually absolute, for in out
lining a system of priorities for the
shipment of coal the commission has
declared that class one, the ship
ments under which take priority
over everything else, shall be those
specially ordered by it.
In addition to the presidential COM
mittee an administrative committee,
to be composed of representatives OF
the former committee, the railroads,
the coal operators and the larger
consumers will be named.
Then carrying out the wartime
food and fuel administration plan,
local and district committees of the
public, the railroads and the coal
operators will be named to advise
the central committee of conditions
throughout the country.
Under tho new plan industries
will be hit hardest If the coal short
age becomes more acute through a
continued delay in the settlement of
the mine strike.
Tho commission, in outlining the
order in which priorities will be
granted, did not mention industries.
Hence they will come under the
fifth class, broadly designated by the
words "for other purposes.
Coal production will be afimulated
Secretary Of War Weeks said,
through the ability of the govern
mont to supply coal cars to non
union mines suffering either partial
or total curtailment Of production
through lack of cars.
All existing agreements and con-
tractural obligations between the
common carriers with reference to
the divisions of the rates of trans
portation are declared void during
the duration of the emergency dec
laration. Failure of the carriers to
observe this order will result in the
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