Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 January 1918 — SOLONS PROTEST COAL ORDER [ARTICLE]

SOLONS PROTEST COAL ORDER

CONGRESS IN UPROAR FOLLOWING DRASTIC ORDER OF GARFIELD. Washington, Jan. 17.—After a conference today with Fuel Administrator Garfield, the war service executive committee of the Chamber of Commerce of the United Sates issued a statement criticizing the fuel restriction order, but announcing that since it had been issued ’“it is clearly the duty of business men to do all in thjfir power to carry out its spirit and purpose.” Congress was in an uproar from the time it assembled until it adjourned tonight. The house objection preyented consideration of the resolution, but it was the subject of an acrimonious debate. " ’ ’

Mr. Garfield was called before the senate manufacturers’ committee which has been investigating the coal shortage to explain the necessity of the order. After leaving the capital, Dr. Garfield hurried to his office and after a telephone conservation with the white house called his legal aides to put the order in final form. Tonight it was indicated that an appeal might be made to President Wilson. The suggestion also was heard that the food control bill, under which Dr. Garfield acted, might be repealed but there appeared little prospect that this would be done since it hardly could be accomplished before the five day period was oyer.

While a storm of protest raged at the capitol and’ among business interests throughout the nation Fuel Administrator Garfield tonight sighed the order in preparation since yesterday closing down manufacturing plants east of the Mississippi river for five days beginning at midnight tonight and stopping virtually all business activity on every Monday for a period of ten weeks beginning January 21. With the full support of President Wilson the fuel administrator attached his signature to the mandate as the senate was preparing to vote on a resolution, which it passed twenty minutes later, requesting him to postpone action for five dayS. Dr. Garfield would not comment on the senate action, but it was stated at the fuel administration that the resolution would have no effect upon the order.

The .order as signed and sent out tonight to state fuel administrators for enforcement contained but-few changes from the form of an abstract given out by the fuel administration last night. A supplementary statement issued with the order embraced a list of industries engaged in imperative war work which has been exempted from she order’s enforcement. It includes shipyards engaged in naval work, a few plants turning out products needed immediately by the army and navy and portions of plants producing tubing. The list was prepared by Secretary Baker and Daniels. ' None are Indiana plants.