The Dickinson press., 1902-10-04
DISCUSS BIG STRIKE
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, THREE
CABINET MEMBERS AND A
GOVERNOR CONFER,

- vail DC OOUS 10 Emu
the Present DepIorabIe STRUGGLE.
Conclusion Reached That There Is
No Law Warrantins Intervention.
Another Conference to Take elace.
Washington, Oct. 1.-The president
during the day took Initiative steps to
ascertain what, if anything, couil he
done by federal authority to scttlo
the coal strike. The result was
rather general expression of opinion
by the advisors of the president, who
were parties to the conference, to
the effect that the federal laws and
constitution did not afford means OF
federal interference to end the strike,
but another conference will be held
and the president will do all he can
properly and legally to bring about
settlement.
At the temporary White House a
conference was held with three cab
met officers, Attorney General Knox.
Secretary Moody aid Postmaster
General Payne. Governor Crane OF
Massachusetts also was present.
These gentlemen met with President
Roosevelt first and after the subject
had been considered for some time
they adjourned to another room and
conferred together for an hour. They
all returned later In the Gay and held
another conference with the president
and the strike situation was discussed
further.
President Roosevelt is deeply con-
Cerned over the situation. The ap-
proach OF winter with coal famine
imminent, and the distress and suffer
Ing that must ensue unless coal be-
comes available, presents a situation
which he thinks should receive the at
tention of the administration if there
is anything that can be done by the
government. Many appeals have been
made to him and many suggestions
have been received by him and it was
with view to ascertaining what
power the federal authority could
evoke that caused the conference to
be held.
During the conference every phase
of the situation was discussed The
general opinion of the advisors Of the
president was that the situation
Did Not Present a Case
in which there could be federal inter-
ference by any warrant OF law. There
has been no interference with federal
authority in the mining region, either
by stoppage of the mails or resist
ance of the United States court pro-
cess. 1t was pointed out that there
was no occasion for the use of federal
troops, as Governor Stone of Pennsyl-
vania had not called on the govern.
ment for assistance nor had he even
exhausted the resources of the state
by calling out the full strength of The
state militia. The question of the
right to seek appointment of receivers
for the mines in order that they might
be operated was discussed, but neither
in the Constitution nor in any known
law could any legal warrant he found
for such action, though the discussion
on such lines even went SO far as the
consideration of how the properties
could be relinquished and control sur
rendered after the object of supplying
coal had been accepted assuming the
federal government could intervene
through receivers. The tenor of the
whole discussion was to the effect
that there was lack Of the power In
the federal administration to take any
action at the present stage of the
strike, although the seriousness of
the coal famine now and the much
greater evils soon to follow were con-
sidered at length and with a wish to
discover some method of ending the
industrial deadlock.
Governor Cranes presence natur-
ally brough into prominence the PRO-
IN 1,<,N Nnc- hrtcn or r.
courts to secure the appointment of
the opinion was expressed that the
situation could not be met success
fully by this method.
During the day advices We're re-
ceived that the strike might be set
tied by the operators and the miners
themselves and it was suggested that
hasty
Interference of Any Kind
by the federal government might pre-
vent the consummation of the plans
for a strike settlement. if any such
were maturing. While recognizing
the futility of efforts to end the strike
that could accomplish nothing it vas
stated that the president was anxious
that the end of the strike should he
brought ABOUT at the earliest pOSSlrlC
moment and that if the attorney gen
eral or any other member of the cab
met could devise a method by which
the president could proceed that he
would not hesitate to adopt it, unless
meanwhile assurances of a settlement
were received. After the meeting
Governor Crane left Washington for
Massachusetts,.
The conference will he resumed In
the morning. at which time Secretary
Root will be present.
1t has been intimatcd that the presi.
dent may send for the managers of
the coal properties, but this will not
be done until after the conference in
the morning and perhaps not then.
No official statement was made re-
garding the conference during the day,
| though an intimation was given that
some statement might follow the con-
| ference in the morning. AS hereto.
fore stated, the main fact made appar-
ent was that the president will make
every effort he can properly and law
fully to stop the strike and avert a