Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1918 — EXPLAINS THE ‘HEATLESS’ORDER [ARTICLE]

EXPLAINS THE ‘HEATLESS’ORDER

Excess Output of Plants Under War Pressure Clogged Roads SHIPS NEEDED TO AID ALLIES Nation Must Pay Any I‘rice * to Clear Congestion on Lines so That Fuel Fan Reach the Docks, Washington, Jan. lei. —Doctor (Jarfield issued tlie following statement explaining ltis “Headless day” order : "The most urgent tiling to tie done is to send to (lie American forces abroad and to tile allies tin; food and war supplies which they vitally need. "War munitions, food, manufactured articles of every description, lie at our Atliintle ports in ten to tens of thousands of tons, while literally hundreds of ships, waiting loaded with war goods for our men and the allies, cannot take the sons beeause bunkers are empty of coal. The coal to send them on their way is waiting behind a congestion of freight fcffat lias jammed all terminals. Must Clear Docks. “It is worse than useless to bend our energies to more manufacturing when whut we have already manufactured lies at tidewater congesting terminal facilities, jamming ihe ml 1 road yifrds and side tracks for long distances back into the country.

“No power on earth can move this freight into Hie war zone whore iL is needed until we supply the ships with fuel. “Once tlie docks arc cleared of Valuable freight, for which our men and associates in the war now wait in vain, then again our energies and power may be turned to manufacture more efficiently than ever, so that a steady and uninterrupted stream of vital supplies may be tills nation’s answer to the allies’ cry for help. Excess Production to Blame. ‘‘lt has been excess of production in our war-time speeding up that has done so much to cause congestion of our railroads, that has filled the freight yards to overflow; that Inis flooded the docks of our Atlantic ports with goods waiting to go abroad. “At tidewater the flood of freight was stopped. The ships were unable to compete the Journey from our factories to the war depots behind the firing line. “Adried to this has been difficulty of transporting co.nl for our own domestic needs. On top of these difficulties has come one of the most terribly severe winters we have known in years. “The wheels were choked ami stopped; zero weather has snow-bound trains; terminals congested, harbors with shipping frozen in rivers und canals impassable. It was useless to continue manufacture and pile confusion on lop of confusion. Effect on Mines Disastrous. "A dear line from the manufacturing establishment to file seaboard and beyond that was the Imperative need. It was like soldiers marching to the front. The men of the foremost rutik must have room to move. “More than a shock was needed to make a way through that congestion at the terminals and on the docks, so that tile aid so vitally needed by the allies could get through. “The incidental effect of this transportation system on coni production has been disastrous. There is and always lias been plenty of fuel, but it cannot lie moved to those places where It is so badly needed while railroad lines and terminals are choked. “Throughout the coal fields scores, even hundreds of mines are lying Idle because of railroads’ inability to supply the ears to carry away their product*. Must Pay Any Cost. “Foal mines cannot operate without ears. Fars cannot lie supplied while tlie railroads are crippled by tilt?, present freight congestion, which keeps idle cars lying useless in the freight yards. ' “In the past week the production of coal lias been disastrously red need. Reports in some cases have shown 90 per cent of the mines in certain fields Hosed completely for the lack of cats. “This is war. Whatever the cost, we must pay if, so that in the face of tlie enemy there can never tie the reproach that we iieid hark froth doing our full share. “Those ships laden, with our supplies and our food for men and food for guns'must have coal and put to sea.”