The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-03-17
s|OO A BUCKET
FOR HARD GOAL
That's What the Price May be II the
Strike Comes But Who Cares
II Weather Gets
Warm.
GOVERNMENT MAY ACT
Erdman Act May be Extended tc
Mining Disputes and Put
Stop to Further
Troubles.
GOVERNMENT MAY ACT

limited Press Leased Wire Service.l
NEW YORK, March 16.-Confident
that strike in the anthracite coal
fields will result at midnight on March
81 Wholesale coal dealers this af
ternoon sent out notices to the retail
ers that no orders would be promised
until those on hand had been filled.
The supply Of hard coal in New York
is smaller than it has ever been when
a strike was threatened and 1t was
believed tonight that a new price rec
ord would be established by the time
that the miners are called out.
From prominent operator 1t was
learned tonight that the majority Of
the coal owners had been confident
the strike would result for more than
a month. Many OF them are dissatis-
fed with the uncompromising atti-
tude Of President Baer of the Phila-
delphia and Reading who is recogniz-
ed as the guiding spirit in their organ
ization. He has signified his inten-
tion OF fighting the miners to finish
and unless enough of his supporters
can be won away from him, several OF
the operators who would like to set
tie with the miners will be forced to
fight strike against their will There
Is growing insurgency movement
among the operators. however, which
may result in Baer being dethroned
and liberal advance being granted
! to the employees,
A Ray Of Hope.
/ WASHINGTON. March ia plan
/ to prevent the threatened anthracite
coal strike was evolved this afternoon
| by democratic house leaders and
| Presiding Judge Knapp of the
commerce court and Immediately
| Representative Lee (dem., Pa.l intro
duced measure extending the pro,
visions Of the Erdman act to disputes
between coal miners and operators
Under the Erdman act. which now
applies only to railroads, the com
I missioner of labor and the chairman
of the interstate commerce commits,
/ sion may, at the request of either par.
lty to an industrial dispute. try to af-
! feet settlement by mediation. Judge
! Knapp, at whose suggestion the bin
was framed was formerly one Of the
! mediators as chairman of the inter
state commerce commission and since
/ his appointment to the commerce
court has continued his work at the
4 request of the president.
i II believe that the bill will be gen
4 orally supported in both the house
and the senate said Representative
Lee tonight. "If 1t passes, no such
disturbances as the threatened mine
strike could occur and we all want tc
prevent these gigantic industrial con
i troversies.
Il delayed introducing the bill unit
it became apparent today that there
was little likelihood the strike coult
be prevented. I have talked with The
1 party leaders and Speaker Clark has
assured me that the bill will be ex
4 pedited.,
l This British Strike.
LONDON, March 16-Governmen
ownership of coal deposits loomed vi
tonight as probable result OF the
coal strike. Reports from the mining
districts indicated that the employe,
We're not enthusiastic over the mini
mum wage scale which Premiel
Asauith proposes to rush through
parliament next week, while the oper
ators are a unit in opposing tn,
measure. If the legislation is reject
ed by the interested parties, as ,
means of settlement, it was said in OF
fetal circles that the only solution
will be for the government to TAX,
over the colleries.
On all sides it is realized that tn,
government must act quickly Al
Z ready the industries of the countr,
have received a set back that it will
require months to recover from. /
was estimated tonight that 2,50O,000
including the miners, are idle. Th,
: loss in wages alone during the las
two weeks was $3O,000,0OO. Railroa,
receipts have fallen off S5,000,000 dur
, ing that time, while tradesmen an,
manufacturs report vast shrinkag'
! in their business.
: The prices of all household sup
, plies continues to soar. Foodstuff
! are so high that even the middl
classes are forced to live upon tn,
Continued on page 81