Evening star., 1945-02-04
Improvement Is Seen
In Coal Situation
Along Eastern Coast

last night as a result of the Gov
ernment's stringent conservation
measures and moderating weather.
War Production Board officials,
while emphasizing 1--WE are not out
of the woods yet" said they were
hopeful the weekend ban on use of
natural and mixed" gas in amuse-
ment places could be lifted at pm
tomorrow as scheduled.
A spokesman for the Association
of American Railroads said that
traffic conditions, generally speaking,
looked "a little better" and that
railroads were making progress in
unSnarling their facilities. Unless
there is further heavy snowfall, he
added, it is hoped that the embargo
on civilian freight shipments this
week end may be the last.
Measures Helped Great Deal"
While WPB had no estimate of
gas saved as result of the amuse-
ment place ban and appeals to
householders and institutions to low
| er temperatures and otherwise 60
easy on using the fuel, spokesman
said 1t was obvious the conservation
measures had helped great deal"
Fine cooperation on the part OF
the public and rising temperatures
throughout the area have eased the
critical situation appreciably," he
said. IF We continue to get break
in the weather We should be over
the hump by Monday"
Fuel gas service was restored yes
terday to about 200 top priority war
plants. Service to other affected
plants throughout the industrial Ap-
palachian area probably will not be
back to normal until early this week.
Meanwhile, WPB reported better
than 95 per cent compliance" with |
the illumination "brownout" which
went into effect in most of the
country last Thursday to save coal
Can Cut u. S. Work Hours.
AS further aid to fuel conserva-
ton, Budget Bureau Director Har-
old D. Smith yesterday authorized
heads Of Federal Government field
offices in most of the eastern
States to change or reduce exist
ing hours of employment where
such action will aid the fuel situa-
ton and will not impair essen
tial war work."
The Budget Bureau said, how
ever, that working hours will re-
main the same in Metropolitan
Washington. The authorization to
change hours applies to all States
east of the Mississippi except Flor
ida, Louisiana, Minnesota and Mis-
sissippi.
The WPB ban on use of natural
or mixed gas by amusement places
went into effect at 7 pm. Friday
and is scheduled to end at the same
hour tomorrow. 1t applies to New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West
Virginia, Kentucky, parts of Mary
land and Virginia, and to the Dis
trict. 1t had little practical effect
here. No District theaters use gas
for heating, and night clubs"
qualify as restaurants.
Conservation Here Holds.
The District Public Utilities Com
mission, however, called on all local
gas consumers to curtail its use to
the minimum consistent with pub
lie health and safety" The WASH
ington Restaurant Association also
was urging its members to conserve
gas in every way.
An Office of Defense Transpor-
tation order banned movement of
civilian freight-except coal-for
four days, beginning Friday night,
in the District, New York, Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey, Ohio, West Vir-
ginia, Kentucky and parts of Mary
land and Virginia.
Meanwhile, the solid fuels admin
istration reported a soft coal pro-
duction loss of about 5000 tons
during the week ended January n,
attributing the reduction to delayed
movement of 6,992 railroad cars be-
cause Of bad weather. Consumption
exceeded production by nearly H.
100000 tons in December, the agency
added, an unfavorable condition
which directly affected the manu.
facture of coke and steel.
Pennsylvania anthracite produc-
ton for the week ended January n
totaled only $4,000 tons, as COM
pared with 1,274, 600 tons last year,
and 1000 tons in the previous
week. Interior Secretary Ickes said.
Pittsburgh Situation Worse.
The Associated Press reported
from Pittsburgh that the situation
In war industry there yesterday
was even worse than on Friday, due
to the embargo on civilian freight
and the gas shortage. The Carnegie
Illinois Steel Corp. shut down 20l
more open-hearth furnaces, SWELL
ing the total to SO now out Of OBJ
Grafton In five plants.
A company spokesman was
quoted as saying that If the pres
ent situation continued, its produc-
ton losses during the four-day rail
embargo would run to $4,000 tons