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DVCKMBXR 11, 1919. 



The Florists^ Review 



33 



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COAL ORDERS CUT SALES 



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ISSUE RULES AS STBIEE ENDS. 



Curtail Country's Biisiness. 



On the same day that the proposal of 

 President Wilson to end the bituminous 

 coal strike was made, Fuel Administrator 

 Garfield issued orders for the conservation 

 of coal more drastic in effect than any 

 promulgated during the war. Factories 

 and manufacturing plants of all kinds 

 are limited to three days of operation 

 per week, shops are limited to six hours 

 of lighting a day, and offices are dark- 

 ened at 4 p. m. Coming as they do just 

 at the opening of the Christmas trade, 

 the orders are regarded by florists as 

 a peril to what was otherwise one of 

 the best holiday businesses they have 

 ever enjoyed. 



Already the closing of industrial 

 establishments in various localities had 

 threatened the prosperity 

 of the florists who derived 

 their business from the 

 workers employed in such 

 factories. But the antici- 

 pation of an early ending 

 of the strike and the con- 

 sequent resumption of nor- 

 mal business led them to 

 hope their difficulties would 

 have passed by the time 

 the holiday buying was due 

 to begin in force. 



Bestrictlons Tighter. 



Instead of such allevia- 

 tion the end of the strike 

 was accompanied by re- 

 strictions more drastic than 

 those made locally before. 

 And they are not, accord- 

 ing to statements published, 

 issued for a few days only, 

 but may last weeks. 



The orders were issued, 

 notwithstanding the antici- 

 pated settlement of the 

 strike, to assist the country 

 in recuperating from the 

 loss of 35,000,000 tons in 

 coal production for which 

 the strike was responsible. 



Officials pointed out that 

 settlement of the strike 

 cannot bring production back to normal 

 for several weeks and that further con- 

 servation is absolutely necessary. 

 Therefore the railroad administration 

 was given power to enforce the re- 

 strictions of the fuel administrator. 



After Dr. Garfield had empowered 

 the railroad administration to curtail 

 coal consumption, it issued the follow- 

 ing order: 



"On December 1 the fuel administra- 

 tion gave out a statement urging the 

 conservation of coal and suggested that 

 local authorities adopt regulations and 

 put them into effect to carry out this 

 purpose. 



"A careful survey of the coal situ- 

 ation indicates that even if there is a 

 prompt settlement of the coal strike, it 

 will take some time to adjust the coun- 

 try to a normal basis, and that, there- 

 fore, certain restrictions will have to 

 be placed on the consumption of bitu- 

 minous coal and of light, heat and 



power derived therefrom, so that ur- 

 gent domestic needs may be cared 

 for, the necessary foodstuffs produced, 

 and really essential light, power and 

 heat supplied. 



~ * ' Already, in many parts of the coun- 

 try, restrictions as to the use of coal 

 and coke for lighting and heating pur- 

 poses and for production of electricity 

 and power for such purposes have been 

 adopted." 



Uniform Tbrougliout Country. 



In pursuance to such needs restric- 

 tions were placed in force which will 

 operate throughout the entire country. 

 The most far-reaching of these, so far 

 as the florists' trade is concerned, are 

 those summarized in the box on this 

 page. The details of these are well 

 known, since they have been reprinted 



RESTRICTIONS WHICH PERIL 

 FLORISTS' HOLIDAY TRADE 



All stores may be lighted only during six 

 hours a day. 



Office buildings must cut off lights not later 

 than 4 p. m. 



Advertising signs and show windows may 

 not be lighted. 



Electric railroad and street-car service must 

 be cut to the bone. 



Factories will be furnished coal sufficient for 

 operation only three days a week. 



in the daily newspapers and commented 

 upon in the light of local effects. 



Retail florists will find it difficult, if 

 not impossible, to handle anything like 

 the anticipated business for the holi- 

 days under the restrictions imposed. 

 Of course, recourse is had to all sorts 

 of improvised lighting and heating de- 

 vices which do not consume coal. But 

 even with lanterns and candles and oil 

 stoves there is question whether busi- 

 ness approximating that anticipated 

 can be done. 



The real point that concerns the 

 florist is whether the public, under the 

 conditions which are the result of the 

 fuel orders, will spend its money for 

 flowers, even at Christmas. There has 

 been an appreciable drop in sales in 

 localities where the lack of coal re- 

 sulted in the closing of factories. How 

 tight the public will pull the purse- 

 strings at the Yuletide season under 

 such circumstances is the question 



which governs the florists' state of 

 mind as to the holiday prospects. 



In the larger-sized communities the 

 restriction governing transportation 

 will be particularly felt in its limitation 

 of shoppers. Buying will be curtailed, 

 particularly if the weather is cold, as 

 the forecasts of the weather prophets 

 indicate. Similarly, the closing of the 

 theaters two performances a week and 

 other diminution of social festivities 

 will affect the sale of flowers. At this 

 season, when they usually are numerous, 

 their absence will be felt the more. 



The sole glimmer of hope that comes 

 to the trade in its outlook on Christmas 

 business is that the ending of the 

 miners' strike will bring about a re- 

 sumption of normal working hours in 

 most cases at least till after the holi- 

 days. For the drastic restrictions is- 

 sued affect not only florists 

 but all the lines of busi- 

 ness which are aided so 

 largely by the holidays at 

 the year's end. 



Hope in Strike's End. 



If the miners resume 

 operations promptly and 

 production is immediately 

 increased, there is hope 

 that the public would not 

 be so strongly inclined to 

 curtail their Christmas 

 purchases and even a pos- 

 sibility that some of the 

 severe features of the 

 orders would be eliminated 

 in view of the fact that a 

 fuel famine was averted. 



But operating against 

 the expectation of a quick 

 return to normal production 

 is the miners' custom of 

 laying off entirely from 

 Christmas eve until after 

 New Year's. Whether this 

 practice will be observed 

 this year is a matter that 

 is now debated. At a time 

 when every day's produc- 

 tion counts, that question 

 will be one of some effect 

 on other industries. In- 

 deed, 90 many factors count in the pres- 

 ent situation that it is difficult for flo- 

 rists to estimate accurately what an- 

 other week will bring. 



Growers are given concern by the 

 orders for fuel conservation because 

 they are not sure of their ability to 

 obtain the supplies needed to replenish 

 the piles rapidly disappearing under the 

 ravages of zero weather in various lo- 

 calities. Though most greenhousemen 

 provided amply for the winter under 

 ordinary circumstances, they did not 

 stock up last summer as fully as they 

 did during war times, partly because 

 labor was so difficult to obtain and 

 partly because the coal was not always 

 easy to get. The fuel secured then will 

 tide over many till January, when con- 

 cern will give way to anxiety. Cars 

 on the way have been confiscated en 

 route and growers are forced to seek 

 help from the fuel administration. 

 These officials will doubtless see that 



