Evening star., 1947-02-10
100000 Idle
As Fuel f anime
TiesUpBritain
HoIfof AIl.Industry
HoIts; AttIee UnobIe
To See End of Crisis
BY the Associated Press

LONDON, Feb. 10.-The gravest
fuel famine in British history
closed down more than half the
Kingdoms industry today, throw
ing more than 100000 workers
into idleness and restoring the
wholesale dole.
Prime Minister Attlee said he
could not forecast how soon the in
dustrial crisis would end, and indi-
Gated spring might come before
homes in the affected areas could
return to normal power consump-
ton. The homes, many of them
dependent in part on electricity for
heat, had to forego the use of elec-
tricity for five hours daily begin
ming today, while industries in 3e
of the ga English and Welsh counties
had to suspend operations entirely
GAS soon as there are reasonable
stocks (of coaD at the power
stations" Mr.. Attlee told the House
of Commons, "the first step must be
to restore power for industry"
Parliamentary Debate Tonight.
Winston Churchill, leader of the
parliamentary opposition, joined Mr..
Attlee in an appeal for popular
support of the governments dras-
tic orders, but challenged the
Prime Minister to debate tonight
the underlying reasons for them.
The Labor Party leaders, in a
stormy scene, agreed to the debate.
On the stock exchange industrial
shares fell 20 to 60 cents, but there
was no panic and the reaction
there failed to bear out some quar-
ters' preopening expressions of
gloom.
The Labor government, which
converted the coal mines from pri-
vate to state ownership January /,
called the coal conservation meas
ures necessary to avert complete
disaster
Slightly higher temperatures eased
momentarily one of the most severe
cold waves of the winter, but the
forecast was for colder.
Cabinet Shakeup Demanded
Most industries and householders
appeared to be obeying the govern
ment directive to throw switches
voluntarily on lines where demands
for essential services prevented a
complete shutdown at the source
of supply.
Ali industries except a few vital
to health and welfare were ordered
to halt totally or in part in 38 of
the Ga counties of England and
Wales. Consumers were forbidden
to use electricity between 8 am. and
noon and from 2 pm. to pm. in
homes, stores, offices and restau-
rants, affecting an estimated 22,O00,-
900 people.
Conservative newspapers demand
ed Mr.. Attlee shake UP his Labor
cabinet, which commands a two-to-
one vote in Parliament. The inf1u-
entail Manchester Guardian and
London's Daily Mail and Daily Tele-
graph demanded Emanuel Shinwell
resign as minister of fuel and power.
Confusion and chaotic conditions
prevailed in many areas. Nearly
everywhere, electric current use was
cut sharply.
The London Power Co. said it was
supplying about half its normal load
In the great industrial center of
Birmingham, factories and the city's
million people were put on their
honor and electric current usage
dropped about rs per cent. The
Birmingham transport system was
snarled by workers returning home
Heavy Fog in London.
The Shropshire, Worcestershire
and Staffordshire Electric Power
Co., supplying 1000 square miles,
said it's demand was less than half
of normal.
The town of Dartford in Kent
did not respond to the conservation
appeal, officials said, and all its
power was cut of Immediately.
The gloom Of darkened homes
and shadowy streets was thickened
by heavy fog in London, Birning-
ham, and many other cities.
Thousands of workers thrown out
Iof jobs swamped labor exchanges
to register for the dole. Many other
thousands will draw their wages
Friday under guaranteed 34-hour
work week plans specified in some
labor agreements. Scores of thou
sands in the Birmingham area were
notified they would not be entitled
to guaranteed payments If the shut
downs continued next week.