Evening star., 1946-05-04
New j. ). Move
Coal Strike
Due Next Week
Dimout Here Today;
Lights on Streets
Won't Be CurtuiIed
BULLETIN

the Railway Express Agency
today ordered an embargo on
all express shipments, effec-
tive May 10, except for those
classes of merchandise exempt
under the railway freight en-
barge announced two days
ago.
Top officials indicated today
the Government would take new
steps to end the 34-day-old coal
strike by the middle of next
week as dwindling fuel supplies
forced a wartime dimout on
Washington and similarly in
convenienced a wide area of the
Nation.
In Richmond, the State Corpor-
alton Commission called representa-
tlves of 27 power companies doing
business in Virginia to a meeting
at pm. Monday to consider ration
ing of electricity
The commission acted after con-
ferring for several hours with rep
resentatives of the Virginia Electric
& Power Co. during which the COM
pany president, Jack G.. Holtzclaw,
laid before the commission the
whole story" of the companys
power resources for the next few
weeks.
Proposal Believed Prepared.
There was little indication of the
nature of the new action being
planned by the Government, al
though it appeared that a proposal
for settlement of the strike was be-
ing prepared. John L. Lewis chief
demand for a union health and well
fare fund was touchy subject to
deal with and there was possi-
bility that arbitration might be sug-
gested for that issue.
Although Mr.. Lewis and the soft
coal operators were to meet under
Labor Department supervision today
and perhaps tomorrow, little hope
was held out for major developments
over the week end.
More Drastic Cuts Planned.
The District Commissioners or
dered the dimout, effective today.
after a conference between Assistant
Engineer Commissioner Joseph D.
Arthur, jr., and officials of the Po-
tomac Electric Power Co. A sched-
ule of progressively more drastic
cuts was approved in event the
strike continues although only a.
preliminary dimout was ordered i'm
mediately.
The Public Utilities Commission
issued a brief directive to the power
company today to comply with the
dimout order.
1t authorized Pepco to cut off the
supply of electricity. to any con-
sumers found violating the curtail-
ment rules.
At the same time District officials
announced abandonment of earlier
plans to curtail street lighting.
/ After a conference between Dis
trict and Pepco electrical engineers
/ it was decided that the elimination
OF the commercial sign and window
lights would so darken the streets as
to, require the street lighting for
public safety. Street lighting, it
was said, constitutes a very small
part OF the power load and now will
be curtalled only as last resort.
! In other fuel-famine develop
ments, J. A, Krug, solid fuels ad-
ministrator, declared that the relief
and rehabilitation program for
Europe is on the verge of collapse
because of the shortage of coal for
transportation.
He said there is.a grave possibility
that great quantities of food will
not reach starving people in the
liberated nations in time to avert an
international catastrophe.
In Chicago, where industry and
business were under a four hour "a
day ration of electricity, things were
dull and dark although more orderly
than Immediately after emergency
measures took effect. After two days
of widespread confusion, emergency
curbs were tightened and compliance
with the dimout moved swiftly.
Steel Production Says.
| In the industry hardest hit so far
by the coal strike, steel production
sagged for the sixth consecutive
week and stood at GIT per cent of
capacity. The shutdown of the Ma
tion's steel plants were gathering
momentum, however
The Office of Defense Transpor-
tation has ordered coal-burning
railroads to reduce passenger service
25 per cent May 10 and to deepen
the cut to so per cent May IS,
Virtually all freight shipments ex-
cept fuel and food were embargoed,
effective May 10.
/ In Pennsylvania, Gov. Edward
Martin moved to get enough coal
mined to meet vital public utility
needs. He named three of his cabi-
net members to confer in Pitts