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VOL. 23, NO. 17. GRAND FORKS. N. D., SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1918. PRICE FIVE CENTS.

'Adoo Says Government Should Control Only Roads Necessary to War Service

TRANSPORTATION CONGESTION RELIEVED • B • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

t 'i.

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H 'ft M* r -

Coal Movements Already Greatly Increased—Ships Are Being Rapidly Supplied DIRECTOR GENERAL OF RAILROADS SUMMONED

BEFORE SENATE COMMITTEE; SAYS ALL SMALL ROADS WILL BE GIVEN EQUITABLE TREATMENT

NEEDLESS RAILROAD SHDULd NOT BE TAKEN

INTO FEDERAL SYSTEM

Overburdened Treasury Can not Take Care of Imagin­

ary Wrongs, He Says.

we are going to pass. As to those out­side it seems to me any injury is a matter for the courts to determine. I don't believe the law should require compensation to railroads whether the government needs them or not.

• There is. no disposition to rip any­body .- up the back. It's the govern­ment's desire to treat small as well as big roads as equitably as is possible as far a_s is compatible with public use and interest. All the lines excluded from government control ought to be kept going, encouraged and treated by the government with utmost fairness and consideration." i

Federal Control Necessary. \XMR\TL.RR* A XIV T TXTT? ' Senator Robinson, Democrat of Vv.KU.N\J AMY J-rfUNjij Arkansas asked Mr. McAdoo to tell

j the committee why government opera-• i lions of railroads was necessary.

_ . _ | Mr. McAdoo replied that he did not Not much Substantial Clean- • think he could add anything to what

had already been said but he thought it necessary to get better co-operation of the transportation systems for the war.

"in your opinion the congestions of railroads resulted from lack of facili­ties or the lack of proper use?" asked Chairman Smith

"Both. facilities and the failure of the sep-

NO DISPOSITION TO

ing up of Congestion in East, He Explains.

M'ADOO DIVIDES COUNTRY INTO

THREE SECTIONS

Chiefs Appointed for Three Great Railroad "Division

Areas.

GIRL HELD AS EMMISSARY FOR

I. WW. GANG When Arrested She Carried Satchel Full of Dynamite

and Revolver.

COAL FLOWING TO SUPS, HOMES AND PUBLIC omrnES IN LARGER QUANTITIES; ORDER IS

NOT SO DRASTIC AS MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED THEATRES ALLOWED

TO CLOSE TUESDAY INSTEAD OF MONDAY

A. H. SMITH STILL * IN CHARGE IN EAST

Washington, Jan. 19.—Director General McAdoo was summoned be­fore the senate Interstate commerce j laciuuee anu ui.e la-i.ure ui t

T , . arate railroads to co-ordinate, committee today to explain the opera- , ^ ̂ r<oconioUvcs

tion of government admm.stration of | whenthe government took over the railroad?. [railroads about 700 locomotives were

Ion order by the various carriers.' Mc

Wage Commission to Con­sider Labor Questions

Also Appointed.

Mr. McAdoo said that certain so-called short line railroads would be A(j00 sa(d he ordered that the loco-released from government operation i motives, as fast as completed be turn-as soon as investigations now under j eij over to him to be distributed where way determined it was not necessary, j most needed.

'Director McAdoo said that if it "That couidn't have been done un-should develop that .operation erf 1

canals wan neetessary. they might be taken over. He added that operation will also be extended to inland water ways.

I,n explaining the purposes of the administration railroad legislation Director General McAdoo said he did not propose to keep- control of any unnecessary lines nor' have the gov­ernment compensate those not taken over. • .

"As far as, I can . see . after three weeks . preliminary investigation;" q^gTMf. McAdoo. T don't'pontcniplate taking over any roads'not' necessary for. the government's war purposes and if some interests necessarily »get hurt b.v: it; they will have to stand it.''

Fair Treatment for Al).

Washington, Jan. 19.—Division 01 I j K.F»fw the country into three great sections

for the purpose of simplifying gov­ernment administration was effected today by Director General McAdoo. Chiefs have been appointed for each area, and their orders with respect to train movements will carry the r._-tliority of Mr. McAdoo.

A. H.^ Smith, president of the New York Central, is retained as director of the eastern division with headquar­ters in New York. All territory west of the Mississippi is assigned to R. H.' Aishton, president of the Chicago and Northwestern, with headquarters at Chicago. C. H. Markham, presi­dent of the Illinois Central, is ap­pointed director of the Southwestern

der private management," said he. Senator Polndexter asked what had

been done so far to relieve transpor­tation congestion.

"We've already forced re-routing and gotten better distribution."

"Has there been much substantial cleaning up yet?" . "I. don't think so in the east, where

[there is not mudf improvement yet." SUU Private Management.

. The. railroads, he said, were still, under private manag^ityent, which^re-ported extraordltwry^'iweastofer condi­tions had delay*d~relief. - -

"I'm not giving excuses," he added, "but" there are conditions, some that no -human skill and ability can over­come. For three weeks we have had

» J 'successive blizzards and harbors Director.. McAdoo was told by sen- |blocked with ice

Chicago, Jan. 19.—Federal officers i who arrested a sixteen-year-old girl j Amusement carrying a satchel in which were thir­ty sticks of dynamite, said today they have, conclusive proof she is an emis­sary for I. W. W. plotters. Arraigned yesterday after being arrested as slw left a train from the east, the girl waj held under $20,000 bonds by a United States commissioner.

Officers who made the arrest say the girl probably is Linda .Jose of East Yo-angstown. Ohio, and known to the police. The girl' carried a loaded revolver an well as the satchel of dynamite. She fought desperately against arrest and bit one of the offi­cer's thumbs.

King Ferdinand Of Rumania Ordered

Arrested; Protected By The Entente

London. Jan- .19.—King Ferdinand of Rumania, whose arrest had beep ordered by the Bolsheviki govern­ment, is now under the protection of the allies, according to a Petrograd dispatch to the Daily Express.

Houses Asked to be Allowed to Oper­

ate on Mondays.

i Times la being surreptitiously dis-i tributed throughout the American 'army zone, left here and there where ' it would be picked up by American | soldiers. The leading article deals i with two articles purporting to have jbeen printed upon 'the same page of ,an American newspaper.' One is en­titled 'Moral Support for German Liberalism' and the other 'Federal Lynch Law Is Demanded by Ne­groes.' "

PUBLIC AMUSEMENT PLACES INCLUDED

Monday Being Holiday, Many People will Have

Time to Enjoy Selves.

CHISHOLM, MINN., TO MAKE MONDAY

A REAL H0UDAY

It is probable that the king has sought refuge in one of the allied embassies at JaSsy, or that he has been taken under the protection of the French military attached to the Rumanian army. Jassy is 350 miles from the British lines in Macedonia and it may be that the king has been taken to Salorilkl by airplane. roads, with headquarters at Atlanta.

111., where the divisions meet will be i subject to the joint jurisdiction of i the three directors. j n >

A wage commission to consider la- DenCM reriOmiBnCe bor questions now • confronting the j railroad administration,' ' comprises ;

a tors that small independent short

» •

lipcs feared bankruptcy if the govern nient took control-of the large trunk lines and 'that the -government should take over all railroads, large or small.

['*1 Ciyi't tell yet," McAdoo replied, "What will be essential for the pur­poses'of the. war. The treasury, al­ready overburdened can't be called up to- reimburse for real, imaginary or indirect injury. I don't think- the gov­ernment should, draft into its service a needless railroad any more than it should draft a cripple into the mili­tary service. There is no intention to do; any injustice to-the short line*. They, will: be helped , as far as possible consistent with the needs of the na­tion;,'1'

Chairman Smith suggested that the short lines are in a difficult situation because of the sudden transition of the transportation systenis from a competitive to a controlled basis.

" • Complaining Too Soon. "It seems to me," McAdoo replied,

"t.hat the. short lines are hollering be­fore they're hit. The bill ought to provide compensation for railroads only that are really used and in­jured."

"Do you consider these short lines are part of the continental system?" asked' Senator Smith.

"I would consider them so," Mr. McAdoo replied, ."if they form a part of the system utilized for war necessi­ties. ' I have assumed that the bill will' not deal specifically with ques­tions as to-what should or should not he taken over by the government un­der the president's proclamation'. That has got to be determined after an Investigation. My own opinion that It Is the duty of the director gen­eral. as quickly as possible to de­termine" what railrojads or parts of railroads are needed by the govern­ment and to notify the carriers. That Is now in process.

Compensation Provided. "As to railroads taken over com­

pensation is provided under the law

| troubles' is delay m unloading freight

, . (Continued on Page 5.)'

SNOW AND COLD WEATHER PREDICTED

.Secretary Lape, Interstate Commerce 'CoriVmissioiier C. C. '^IcChord, Judge J. Harry Covington, chief justice of the 'District of Columbia supreme court, and William B. Willcox, whose.

One of the serious i resignation as chairman of the Re­publican national committee was an­nounced. last night..

Grand Opera Gives t Perforn And Nets $14,i

Washington, Jan. 19.—Weather predictions for the. week beginning Sunday, issued by the weather bureau today are:

Great Lakes region: Snow Sunday and Monday, except generally fair Monday in the upper lake region. Snow again Wednesday or Thursday followed by fair at end of week. Cold weather will continue.

Upper Mississippi valley: Snow Sunday, otherwise f&ir until about Tuesday when more snow is indicat­ed. Generally fair' thereafter. Low temperatures will continue at leaiit several days. ;

United States Is Criticized For Not

Shipping Machine Guns To Holland

Amsterdam, Jan.- 18.—Commenting on a statement made by the war min­ister to the Netherlands parliament concerning the alleged detention in America of 1,000 machine guns and 100,000,000 cartridges which had been bought and paid for by the Dutch government, the Hague Nieuwe Cour-ant protests indignantly against such treatment by a friendly nation. The newspaper declares that the holding up of. the arms and ammunition-1- is profoundly humiliating and amounts to a cool denial of Holland's good faith, and asks whether it is in America's interest to deprive a neu­tral state! of the means to defend its neutrality.

Today's War Summary

CONTROL OF AI.L NEUTRAL SHIPPING.

Washington. Jan., 19.—Control of neutral shipping at' American ports will be undertaken by the war trade board February 1, to prevent Ger­many from receiving information or goods from the United States.

In an order published today owners and charterers of neutral ships are ! notified they must sign an agreement giving the trade board authority over their ships and crews. Failure to comply even in the case of one ship will involve refusal of fuel and stores to al lvessels controlled by firms ownJ ing or chartering the ship in question.

Chicago, .Jah'. 1-9.:—A benefit per­formance bji the Chicago Grand opera company for French and Italian orphans last',, night brought into the fund $14,000, according to the report of the management today.

Portions .of'atets' from four well known operas were given.

WEATHER FORECAST. North Dakota: Generally fair

tonight and Sunday; slightly colder tonight.

Minnesota : Generally fair , - to­night and Sunday; not'oiuch In temperature.'

Cnlvc-rslty Reading. 7 a. m.

Temperature, 7. Maximum, 24 hours, 16. Minimum. 12 hours, 4. Wind northwest. 3 miles. Precipitation. 13 hours. .3. Barometer, reduced, 30.05.

Washington, Jan. 18.—The fuel ad­ministration today issued a definite order changing the heatless day for theaters from Monday to Tuesdiy.

The regulation reads: "In order to accommodate public

holiday attendants, fuel : may be burned on any of the Mondays' be­ginning January 21, 1918, and con­tinuing up to and including March 25, 1918, for the purpose of supply­ing heat for theaters, moving picture houses, ibowling houses, billiard rooms, private or public dance halls or any other, place of public amuse­ment, but no fuel shall be burned on any Tuesdur beginning January 22, 1918, and continuing up to and in­cluding Tuesday. March 26, 1918 (ex­cept tq such extent as is essential to prevent injury to property from freezing) tor the purpose of supply­ing either heat or ligh^ for any of t h e p l a c w ; < » f t a f o r e s a i d o n any of the Tuesdays above specified. To the extent indicated h^reXOj.._the regulation of the United States, fuel administrator, dated January M, l9l&, is hereby modified."

POISON PRESS IN U. S. ARMY; NEW

^ GERMAN CAMPAIGN

Duluth, Minn., Jan. 19.—Chisholm merchants and business men will not only stand behind the government's closing order cheerfully but each Monday for the next ten weeks will be a holiday in Chisholm and the en­tire population, business men and laborers alike, under the direction of squad captains will spend the day gathering wood from the many burn­ed over tracts around the village.

This procedure was decided upon last night at a mass meeting of the village officials and citizens when resolutions endorsing the closing order were adopted. A copy will be sent ,to Fuel Administrator Garfield.

Blue And Gray Unite To Celebrate Birth

Of General R. E. Lee

BUNKERING OF SHIPS PROGRESSES; SAILINGS

INCREASING RAPIDLY

Few Empty Cars, However, Are Moving Back to

the Mines.

ALL SHIPS SOON TO BE SUPPLIED

All Industries Producing Munition Plant Materials

Exempted.

London,- Jan.-19.—The- correspond­ent of The London Times with the American Army in France writes:

"In an' outhouse cloee to the garage where the correspondents' cars are quartered I found the other day a torn copy of The Continental Times, 'an in­dependent cosmopolitan newspaper,' aS^lt is self-inscribed, but-in reality one of the type of publications printed in languages forelgn\ to German for propaganda, purposes. This sort of paper, printed, of course, in Italian, was spread broadcost from airlanes before the German offensive upon Italy.

"It is evident that The Continental

Washington, Jan. 19.—A steadily increasing flow of coal to ships, homes and public utiliites was reported to the fuel administration today as a re­sult of the second day's enforcement of the fuel restriction order.

Apparently the railroad congestion had not yet been much affected by, the order but milder weather conditions had improved the situation in the east and at the same time bad weather paralyzed traffic again in the middle west.

Business interests today seemed to feel better about the government's action and hundreds of telegrams reached the White House and the fuel administration assuring the govern­ment of co-operation.

Coal was reported today reaching the seaboard in greater volume than at any time in the last few weeks.

Homes and public utilities were re­ceiving supplies of fuel diverted from the industries closed down.

The diversion was delaying delivery aond unloading and slowing up "ttre movement -of empty cars back to the nTines. Coal production for the next ' few days probably will be far below normal, but fuel administration offi­cials expect it to increase as soon as the flow of empties is under way.

The railroad situation in the middle west was so serious that it was sug­gested to Secretary McAdoo. director general of the railroads, that about half of the present passenger trains there be suspended for two days to release locomotives for freight.

At the same time the railroad ad­ministration was rushing locomotives out of repair shops and from rail­roads in the west to help get trains

Washington. Jan. 19—Railroads to- 1 through the heavy snow drift in states day. applied to the interstate com-1 al°ng the Ohio river. The railroads merce commission for permission to j °' l!lc middle west were reported increase export rates slightly on nioymg only from .0 to 40 per cent of packing house products from Chicago. . their normal freight. Milwaukee. Louisville. St. Louis, Den- j APPLICATION IS >.

! NOT SO DRASTIC. Although much of the confusion at-

] tending the enforcement of the fuel j administration's iVve day closing order continued today it was evident that its application would be far less dras-

Petersburg, Va., Jan. 19.—The Blue and the Gray united today in cele­brating the 111th anniversary of the birth of General Robert E. Lee, mem­bers of the Virginia senate and house of delegates joining Pennsylvania sol­diers of the 319th infantry in the-ex­ercises at Camp Lee.

Zinc Producers Ask " Government To Fix

Prices On Product Washington. Jan. 19.—Fixing of

prices for zinc by the government has been requested by zinc producers.

RAILROADS WANT HIGHER RATES ON

PACKERS' PRODUCTS

ver. Fort Worth and Missouri river points to Gulf ports in order'to re­store pre-existing relationships with rates to New Tork and other Atlantic ports.

Bolsheviki Defeated in First Test of Constituent

At Brest-Litovsk Nearing Rupture 9

Demonstrations Against Lenine Government Cause Small Riots in "Street—Five Killed and Number Injured— Germany Refuses to Make any Promises Regarding

Withdrawal of Troops from Poland, Lithuania and

Courland.

i (By the Associated Pren.) The Bolsheviki' government met

with a defeat in' the first test pf strength, when the* lflng-awaited open­ing of the constituent assembly took place in Petrograd, yesterday. Its candidate for chairman was defeated, 161 to 244, by the'nominee of the moderate social • revolutionists," M. Tehernoff, minister of agriculture in the Kerensky, cabinet.

This defeat was administered with­out the help for the" constitutional democrats, whose* members did not attend the opening session.

Mueji uncertainty exists as to what effect the convening* dt the new body will- hav» jipon the. foreign 4nd do­mestic policies of Russia.

There Have been' intimations from the Bolsheviki side that the new body would be ignored by the Bol-s sheviki and an independent legislative body set up if the assembly should-deflnitely challenge the Bolsheviki

Tii recalled that the chairman-of the assembly, M. Tchernoff, was un--der Are as a member of the Kerensky government, being accused of ' pro-Germanism and of having relations .wltli the enemy. He was afterward* rehabitated-

Some disorder preceded the open-tng of the assembly, ftye persons be­

ing killed and a dozen wounded in street fighting.- ' '

Another .halt in the Russo-German peace pourparlors is reported in a news dispatch received in London from Petrograd, • which says that the Russian delegates are returning to their capital. The German emissaries at Brest-Litovsk are said to be en­deavoring to force the Russians to break off the negotiations finally on a minor point so as to cast the blame on the Russians.

Relations between the Bolsheviki and Rumania are at the breaking point The ninth Russian army has demanded that the Rumanian army, on two hours' notice, permit the. Rus­sians .' free passage through Jassy. King Ferdinand, whose arrest ha" been ordered by Premier Lenine, is reported to be under the protection of the entente allies. . In Italy,' as in France the fighting

fronts have settled down to the usual winter routine of raids and artillery duels at variods points.

Th -Austrians .have made another attempt to force the Italian right flank on the Piave river line and push away to Venice close to the Adriatic coast. Rome reports an attack on a wide front in this sector on Thursday nlfht.' -The Italians met the sattack determinedly and arrested the enemy effort. 8

Petrograd. Friday. Jan. 18.—(By the Associated Press)—The long de­layed constituent assembly was opened today. On the first test of strength the Bolsheviki were defeated by the social revolutionists. M. Tchs;*iioff, minister of agriculture in the Kerensky government, and the nominee of the social revolutionists of the right for chairman of the assembly,, was elected by a vote of 244 to 161. The candidate of the Bolsheviki was Maria Spiridonovo, long a prominent revolutionist, who was released from exile in Serbia after the -overthrow of the Romanoffs.

The opening of the assembly was set for noon but a controversy over registration caused delay until 4 o'clock. Slightly more than 400 mem­bers were in their seats. Of those the Bolsheviki and the social revolution­ists of the left, who are working together, have about 150 votes and the social revolutionists of the center an d right the remiander.

ASSEMBLY OPENED FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

fined to parades of small groups oi men and women These groups were composed of well dressed people, ex-

Petrograd, Jan. 18 •(Friday),—By ;cept jn one instance, where there was the Associated Press)—The constitu- a iarger number of soldiers' and ent assembly opened its first f,e2,s'on

t | peasants. At a corner near the American em-4 o'clock this afternoon in the Tauride

palace, with President Sverdloff of the central executive committee of the congress of workmen's and .sold­iers' delegates presiding.

A proposal to have the oldest dele­gate, who was a social revolutionist, preside was howled down. M. Sverd­loff read a declaration from the con­gress of workmen's and soldiers' delegates, - demanding that the 'con­stituent assembly- approve Bolsheviki laws concerning peace and land. This was applauded loudly by the Bolshe­viki delegates and hooted by the right and Socialists.. Delegates be­longing to the constitutional demo­cratic party were absent from the op­ening session. ... ' SMALL RIOTS • IN STREETS

The threatened demonstration against Bolsheviki control of the open­ing, se$pion of the assembly ̂ .was con-:

was made on December 12 but nc progress was made. The results of the elections were unfavorable to the Bolsheviki element, the social revolu­tionists, of which party Former Pre­mier Kerensky is a member, gaining the greatest number of delegates.

Most of the , shops were closed, shutters and bars being up. The Tau­ride palace, in which the delegates to the assembly began to assemble early in the morning, was under a very heavy guard. Difficulties in registra­tion and party dissensions delayed the opening of the assembly which had been set for noon, for four hours.

rainians the correspondent recalls his recent statement that peace was more likely to be sigked by the Ukrainians than by the Bolsheviki.

bassy this group was fired upon And ilBperaed by the Red Guards. Five Dersons were killed and a dozen wounded.

For the most. part, however, the streets were quiet throughout the morning and afternoon, being under a heavy patrol of Bolsheviki troops.

The constituent assembly, according to a proclamation, issued by. the revo­lutionary government last March, "will issiig fundamental laws, guaran­teeing the country the Immutable rights ot 'equality and liberty." Fail­ure to issue a call for elections to the assembly w»s one of the causes con­tributing to the downfall of- the Ker­ensky government. The Bolsheviki government issued a call for election soon after the success of the revolt of last November. The elections were completed early in December.

An attempt to open the assembly •a>v- ---

GERM ANY REFUSES EVACUATION PROMISE.

London, Jan. 19—Further dispatch­es from both the German and Rus­sian sides regarding the negotiations j at Brest-Litovsk • indicate that the! discussion on Wednesday turned | largely on the question of tfye condi­tions to be recognised in disposing of j Poland, Lithuania and Courland. Dr. j von Kuehlmann. the German foreign | secretary said in effect that his gov- i ernment was wiling to permit the; peoples of the territories occupied by ; German and Austro-Mungarian troops j to vote in regard to their political fu­ture, such vote to be taken not later I than one year after the conclusion of { a general peace.

According to the Russian version, Leon Trotzky. Bolsheviki foreign min- I Ister, i attempted' to obtain a clear ] statement whether the voting would be preceded by evacuation of those! territories by the German armies.'Aft- ' er several attempts to evad« a direct reply Dr. von Kuehlmknn declared that Germany couLJ not undertake any obligation regarding withdrawal of the armies. . M. Trotsky returned to Petrograd on Thursday night. Apparently the negotiations were suspended Thursday although there is nothing to indicate how things were left at adjournment.

The Petrograd correspondent of the Daily News telegraphing oh Thursday described the 'negotiations as "stead

NEW SORT OF PEACE DELEGATES. -

Petrograd, Thursday, Jan. 17.—Re­sponding to the plea of the Smolny institute government, the new Uk­rainian Rada, composed of Bolsheviki and which was organized at Kharkov in Opposition to the Kiev Rada. has determined to send a new set of peace delegates to Brest-Litovsk. The Rus­sian delegation asserted that the Uk­rainians had been holding secret and traitorous negotiations with the Aus-tro-Hungarians regarding boundaries.

i HELSINGFORS FEARS SOCIAL UPRISING.

Stockholm. Jan. 18.—Bourgeoisie circles in Helslngfors are disquieted over rumors of a coming socialist rev­olutionary uprising and the forcible dissolution of the diet and the forma­tion of a senate after the ^Bolsheviki pattern.

The Svenska Dagbladet's Haparan-da correspondent reports famine con­ditions in various places in (Russia. In the Orenburg district therd has been no bread since Christmas,-' and in a large part of the government of Nizh­ni Novgorod, there being no prospect of getting bread, the people are eat­ing oats, which also are becoming scarce. Hunger riots are reported in the governments of Kostrona and Tver.

ily moving toward a final rapture," Referring to the private negotiations; the 'Russian representatives between th* Germajis and the Uk- | eyes of the Russian people.

PARLEYS ARE ' ""T""'" INTERRUPTED.

London. Jan. 19.—The negotiations in Brest-Litovsk have been interrupt­ed temporarily, according to a Petro-«*»-ad dispatch to the Daily Mail dated Thursday, and the Russian delega­tion is returning to Petrograd. The Germans, it is added, appeared to be maneuvering to force the Russians^ to break the parley over a minor point s© as to throw the blame on

in the

'Hi. Ji *•

V V'A

tic than first believed. A list of interpretations in specific

cases which probably will be given general application was being prepar­ed by fuel officials from which minor exemptions may result to supplement special rulings made yesterday. In addition it was announced that food administrators may be expected to make further exemptions in the case of food producing plants and related industries. Food Administrator Hoov­er yesterday interpreted the closing order to mean that no check would be put on the manufacturing or dis­tribution of any essential tood proa-

Backed by vigorous defense of the president, who yesterday etave his full support to the closing / der as im­perative to release coal lo move sup­plies to the American army and the aliie^, Dr. Garfield today gave his at­tention to the situation at Atlantic ports. !

In the face of President Wilson's statement that the order was issued with his full knowledge and approval and another explanation from Dr. Garfield declaring that the railroad congestion is threatening the food supply, vigorous opposition in con­gress apparently has spent itself.

Few violations have been noted by , fuel officials and these, It was believ-I ed were due to misunderstandings, in | some cases even state fuel adminis­trators have not understood the or­der.

•Sew York, Jan. 19.—A marked im-! provement in the coal situation with ! respect to the bunkering of ships was j reported here today. The sailings of the last 24 hours, it was learned, ex­ceeded arrivals for the first time since the bunker situation became alarm­ingly acute and the net number of delayed steamers in port waiting coal was today reduced to 110.

Reports to the fuel administration today showed transportation conges­tion throughout the east being clear­ed and bunker coal being unloaded ' in increasingly large quantities. Few empty cars, however, have begun to move back yet to the-coal mines-

Serious consideration was given by Fuel Administrator Garfield today to the request of theaters that they be permitted to close on Tuesdays rather than on Mondays. It was indicated that the change might be made.

Enough bunker coal will reach th* docks within the next three or tour days, it was said to supply all ships now awaiting fuel. Bunkering, how­ever, depends very largely on hand* ling facilities after the coal to unload*^ ed on the docks.

Fuel administration officials • pre* dloted it would be at least a week < before coat mines began to receive empty cars in numbers nctess^ry fg keep production at a maWm - , ruslon resulting from diversion

(Continued ,on pag* 19)

: . F' V ; JVV WW