Evening star., 1947-02-19
Plants May Resume
Operation Monday,
AttIee Tells House
BY the Assoeioted Press

LONDON, Feb. 19.-Prime Min
lister Attlee said today that fac
tory production in the Midlands,
industrial heart of England,
probbaly could be resumed Mon
day after q tWo-week shutdown
caused by the unprecedented
coal shortage.
Mr.. Attlee announced, however,
that the island-wide restrictions on
the use of electricity by domestic
and other nonindustrial consumers
would have to be continued for an
unstated period. Five-hour switch
offs of electricity are currently en-
forced under wartime regulations
providing for fines and prison SEN
tences.
The Labor government leader told
the House of Commons that even
industries in the Midlands would be
unable to get full ALLEGATION OF
coal and that it would be desirable
to spread the industrial load" IS
far as possible by staggering work
hours.
He said coal stocks at power sta
tions were slowly and steadily ris-
ing because of extra work by miners
and transport workers. Despite
cold and snow, he said coal produc-
ton increased 10000 tons last week
above the corresponding period last
year, to 3,747,700 tons.
Mr.. Attlee said he would an
nounce as soon as possible when
production might be resumed in
other areas affected by the power
blackout-the northwest, the Lon
don area and the southeast.
Burn Banisters for Heat.
Meanwhile, people were burning
banisters and picture frames to keep
: warm in some parts Of England.
Although prospects frightened
for reopening of thousands of fac
tories closed since week ago Mon
day for lack of fuel, only thin
trickle of coal was coming from
the mines to the fireplaces that
fnost English homes depend on for
heat.
And the month-long cold wave
that hastened the collapse Of the
: country's fuel system continued with
no forecast of early relief. The
temperature dropped to 10 above
zero in some districts last night
Snd was below freezing generally
today.
London's proverbially gloomy
weather broke an all-time record.
For the 18th successive day the sun
failed to penetrate thick, gray
clouds. The longest previous sun
less period was II days in Decem-
ber, 1890.
Thousands of householders, lin
tied to 112 pounds Of coal week
if they can get it, have had none
at all since before Christmas. Sift-
ed coal dust has become a priced
fuel. At blitzed Coventry, people
with perambulators started queue
ing for coke at am. today.
Warming Center Opened.
Suburban London, following the
lead of Berlin, opened the first emer-
gency warming center for old people
in q Friends meeting house. HOT
drinks as well as heat were provided
from 10 am. to 4:30 pm.
Old-age pensioners with chapped
red hands secured streets and bomb
ruins in crowded East London Tor
SCRAPS of fuel. Banisters In sub
standard houses were chopped up
for firewood. Even in more prosper
Gus districts, coal dealers wagons
were surrounded whenever they ap-
peared.
Local fuel authorities appeared to
be doing their best for hardship
cases. but there simply was not
enough coal to go around.
Cold still gripped most of Europe
as we'll as the British Isles. Vast
ice fields drifted within 40 miles
of Englands Norfolk coast.
Temperatures in the Paris region
dropped to 10 degrees, about de-
grees below Tuesdays low, for the
shsrpest weather of the current cold
spell. Belgian temperatures hovered
around 20.