Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-04
LOOKING FOR RELIEF
Attention Centered on What
President May Do.
POWER IN EXECUTIVE
ATTORNEY GENERAL IS INVES-
TIGATING THE LAW.
No Further Action to Be Taken for the
Present-Hasty Action to
Be Avoided.
POWER IN EXECUTIVE

ident Roosevelt for the immediate present
in the matter of the great coal strike. Face
to face with the most stupendous problem
of his life, his mind every waking moment
considering what is best to be done, the
President will do nothing for a few days
until the full effect Of public sentiment, the
rasping by newspapers of the parties to the
strike and the portentous future nave
eaten their way to the very hearts of the
men who can settle the coal strike If they
will do So No hasty action. no false move
wise in waiting even though the country
grows angrier each minute, the President
will await developments.
Strong, courageous and confident, he feels
that some way will present itself for
settlement If constant application of fair
minds and honest hearts Is given to a sou-
ton of the perplexng problems of the hour.
No extra session of Congress Immediately,
no federal action in the courts or in an eX-
ecutive way.
Such briefly, was the situation al the
White House late this afternoon. All last
night until bedtime, and probably even in
his sleep, the President went over the fea-
lures of the day that had just passed. Early
this morning the consideration of the same
eventful subject was resumed, and folio ing
this a conference was held with two of his
are sealed to everything. Attorney General
Knox and Secretary Root went to the White
House early and were with the President
for nearly two hours. Efforts to obtain in
formation from them were as fruitlesS as
the results of yesterdays conference.
Everything must come out here and
nothing from u.s. is what they said.
Secretary Cortelyou smiled and said that
there would be statements on the strike
situation today.
The
He didn't say, and has never said, that
the matter has passed from the Presidents
hands. because he knows, and all men who
are acquainted with President Roosevelt
know, that the tenacious sincerity of the
President never permits matter to pass
from his hands once it has been there and
deserves to stay there.
Extra Session of Congress.
The calling of Congress in extra session
is beyond all doubt the leading suggestion
before the President and his advisers to-
day. but it is not strongly advocated by
those best understanding the situation. The
suggestion of Congress naturally raises the
question as TO what that body could do even
II called together. 1t has been pointed out
that the right of the state of Pennsylvania
to deal with all questions within her bor-
ders Is one granted by the Constitution,
and no act of Congress could project the
federal government into the controversy
until there was a demand from the state
authorities.
If an extra session should be called, 1t Is
not likely that Congress could be assem-
bled inside of month, and In the mean
time matters might take a turn at the
mines which would make such session
unnecessary. Some of the Presidents ad
visers have told him that If an extra ses-
sion were announced it would mean a pro-
longation of the struggle at the mines and
10 - 4oI-1
to relieve the people before cold weather
was upon them. At the same time the
President Is not disposed to overlook the
fact that Congress is composed of wise
men. and that no question has ever been
too deep for the statesmen of the country
to settle when once they entered upon it
within a determination to act.
Next to compulsory arbitration would
come the question of government ownership
of coal mines. suggested in influential quar-
ters all over the country. This could prob
ably be done Ii would not be necessary
for the President to recommend any defin-
ite plan to Congress in calling that body
together The various propositions could
be left to consideration Of Congress and
would be handled by it,
Would Not Bring Prompt Results
1t is believed here that a resort to pro-
ceedings against the coal-carrying roads on
the charge of imposing unlawful carrying
rates. while possible, is improbable on ac-
count of its impractlcabity to accomplish
speedy results in the present emergency
In case proceedings should be instituted
either at the initiative Of the adminfstra-
tion or at the instance of the miners the
roads could protract the litigation for two
or three wears in carrying the case finally
to the United States Supreme Court
AS the coal moves mostly from the pro-
duc1ng state to other states in the Union
the carriers and their rates are subject To
.he iurlsoicuoh that Congress conferred on
the interstate commerce commission.
Those informed on the subject saw there
would be little difficulty in getting some
competent person TO make a formal COM
plaint. on which the commission is empow-
cred TO notify the carriers and afford Them
hearing, and then to institute and carry
on an investigation to determine whether
the rates they charge for transporting coal
are unjust and unreasonable within the
meaning of the first section Of the act to
regulate commerce. If the commissions
findings should be adverse to the com
panies 1t would order the carriers to cease
imposing such rates, though the commits
sion cannot prescribe in such case the
rates that should be substituted IL the
roads refused to comply the next move on
the part of the government would be the
institution by the commission of suit in the
proper United States circuit court to en-
force the commissions order. The findings
OF the tact by the commission would be
deemed IN such suit to be prima faeie cor
rect. but the carriers could introduce other
and further proof than that given before
the commission and virtually have the ca se
retired in the circuit court Even IL the
circuIt court shouid decree an enforcement
or the interstate commerce commission's
order to the roads, the latter could con-
dnue the litigation almost intermtnably bv
appealing to the circuit court of appeals and
tnence TO the highest tribunal in the land
Looking Up Authorities.
The Attorney General was busly engaged
today In looking into legal authorities fix
Ing the power Of the executive to deal with
an emergency such as the pending coal
tie-up. The belief is entertained that the
Presidents next move will very largely be
Influenced by the report on this subject
that the Attorney General makes
This Is the question that was being dis
cussed everywhere on the street today
Wherever men met they were interested
in learning two things. One was what can
the President do and the other was what
will he do. Indeed. for the time the point