| Show Government to Fix Maximum Price on Coal WASHINGTON Y ASHINGTON ASHINGTON Oct 30 Federal government agencies move moved d de W swiftly today to med meat the situation which will result from th the e l strike of bituminous coal miners Saturday Developments included t Orders to railroads to confiscate all coal in transit if necessary I to build up reserve for operation of the roads Reestablishment of rite hie priorities list of the fuel administration so that the railroads public service utilities and essential industries will have first call on whatever coal is mined and on that In storage Preparation of an executive order establishing maximum prices j for coal and completion of plans by the department of justice to punish those guilty of profiteering and hoarding I Announcement by Secretary Lane that the government would I not hesitate to curtail consumption of coal in industries 50 percent per per cent centI I so that essential industries might be kept in in operation General discussion of the situation by President Wilsons Wilson's cabinet j I which met in special session at the ilia call of Secretary Lansing f Working o out t by which miners who wish Nish to continue r OJ y w aff afforded r every possible protection i including eluding i that of federal F sarY earv J that ti J I At At the conclusion of the the s special cabinet meeting Attorney General I Palmer announced that the fuel administration adI administration ad- ad ad ad- ministration would take control of ot I the handling of or coal coat and would use Its authority under the Lever act to take whatever steps ml might ht be necessary necessary necessary sary to meet the situation AUTHORITY EXISTS The agencies to be used by th the i fuel ful administrator in carrying out his pl plans s will bo be the department of the I Interior In and the railroad adminis adminis- I I Mr Palmer pointed out that Dr Harry A. A Garfield still was fuel adI ad- ad I tor and could exercise his authority without resurrecting the fuel administration While the president has been asked to sign the order restoring maximum prices the attorney general took the view that Dr Garfield would have sufficient auth authority to act on his own without going to the president dent He did not explain why It was decided to have the president sign the order I FOOD CONTROL ACT I While revival of the fuel ruel adminis administration had been urged by government officials to prevent hoarding boarding I and profiteering the department of ot Justice announced it had power to handle that situation under the food control act An executive order restoring maximum maximum maxi maxi- I m mum im prices for Cor coal coat will be Issued by President Wilson probably today Officials Of Officials Of- Of would not say what maximum Of-I Of had been determined upon PROTECT PUBLIC Dr Garfield was at the White House before beCore the cabinet t met in special session session session ses ses- sion to put final approval on plans to protect the public when the strike of miners goes Koes into effect Saturday DIrector Director Director Di DI- rector re General Hines also was summoned summoned summoned sum sum- to give a detailed report of conditions conditions conditions con con- confronting the admin admin- It had been expected that the first step In the general campaign of ot the tho government would be to bring back the fuel administration which still exists although Its working organization has been demobilized Dr Garfield pointed out however that the railroad administration administration admin admin- could wield all nil of the powers r vested h heretofore in his organization The preferential list under which coal I may be allocated and distributed will stand without chance for tor elim elim- of ot munitions s plants which In wartime took a considerable part of ot the visible supply MAY USE TROOPS Protection for miners willing to re remain remain remain re- re main at work In the tho mines despite the strike order was given gl consideration b by the cabinet The Tho general understanding understanding understanding under und standing is that the ordinary police pollee forces state and local will be used first but troops will bo be ordered to the mines if necessary Government GO officials endeavored to obtain further reports from coal operators operators operators oper oper- rt regarding announcement last night by Thomas T. T Brewster head of ot I the coal cool operators' operators scale committee that no attempt would be made to open the mines Saturday In face of ot the strike order Confidential advices from government agents in the coal territory had indicated that a a. large number of miners would not strike and it had been thought here that the mines would be open to receive all ull of the old hands who wanted to stay on the tho Job NONUNION MINES It was wall by oW officials familiar familiar famil famil- I with the situation that JJr Brewster i 1 II s p probably bt sPOke Lily fb io t F 4 It t Jf competitive e fiel s II embra m r 1 no 3 Indiana Ohio and western Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsyl vania ania all union strongholds The an annual annual annual an- an nual output In that territory Is approxImately approximately approximately tons An equal amount is turned d out by nonunion n mines and the total soft coal output is above e tons which gives some Idea of decreased production in inI event of closing of all mines in the central central central cen cen- I field Attorney General Palmer said later late r I the restoration of or the maximum price pric e on coal would apply to anthracite a awell as aswell asI s I well as bituminous SEIZE COAL IN TRANSIT The railroad administration al today ordered ordered ordered or or- dered the confiscation of all coal in transit where necessary to obtain a reserve supply to keep the roads i In hi n operation 1 In taking over such coal exemptions exemptions exemptions I will be made as far Car as p possible possible ble of coal destined to certain classes classe s of consignees based on on the priority y list established by the fuel tuel adminis adminis- The Northwest has a fair winters winter's winters winter's winters winter's win win- ter's supply stored at at- Duluth Minn 1 and other nearby storage points Mr 1 aLne said There is from Crom to tons of nonunion mined coal yearly and this would be divided a as s follows Railroad supply tons domestic domestic domestic do do- and public utilities This would leave no coal for Cor Industries from the source an and d Mr Lane said they would have tobe to tobe t o be taken care of or through curtailment t of their consumption |
