Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1918 — 305,000 Idle in State. [ARTICLE]

305,000 Idle in State.

Indianapolis. Jan. 18. —The orders of the Marlon county fuel administration curtailing business in Indianapolis fell into insignificance when Ibe lull purpose of the orders,of the national fuel administration became known. Thirty thousand factory workers in Indianapolis, 10,000 store employees and a total of 305,000 people in the state of Indiana will be idle for five days, according to estimates made by the state industrial board. The estimates are believed to be approximately correct. The estimated loss in wages in Indianapolis will be $125,000 to $150,000 daily. Inquiry among many manufacturers of the city brought to light information that some of them were near closing because of lack of fuel. The manufacturers all indicated a patriotic desire to help, although not pproving of the methods that have been employed. It was said not many of the manufacturers will feel they are able to pay their employees for idle days. A. D. Johnson, secretary-treasurer of the Diamond Chain and Manufacturing company, said that he did not approve of the order. He said it would be a pretty serious matter to throw 1,200 to 1,500 of the company’s employees out of work for the period.