Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-03-27
CONCERN FELT az CONGRESS
AND TAFT BECAUSE OF
PROSPECTIVE STRIKE.
MAY CREATE COMMISSION
TO INVESTIGATE LABOR
Both House and Senate Disposed to
lssisiats With View to Rsmsdyins
Existing Conditions Which Cause
Conflicts Between Labor and Capital
Especial Correspondence

w aShlngtOn, March 26.-Ihe grave
concern felt by congress and by the ad-
over the prospective coai
strike in the anthracite and the bitum-
nous coal fields is indicated in vari-
Gus ways. One OF these - the we'll
nigh general sentiment in favor Of the
passage OF a measure which will create
a commission for the study of the ex-
listing industrial situation. That such a
commission will be created appears to
be practically settled. Both the house
committee on labor and the senate
committee on education and labor are
for such legislation and, however much
some members Of congress dislike 10
see such legislation, 1t is improbable
that it can be successfully blocked.
Politicians Worry.
One reason for the apprehension
that is felt here over the prospective
strike is political. Those who have Civ
en- any attention to the situation real
:ze mat sliIil a rtIine a. q; .h-eaten.d
will mean that It may result in not
far from, I: million of men being idle.
What this would mean in its political
effects and the effect on the industries
of the country can only be imagined.
In this connection, there has come
from the American Federation Of La
Dor an interesting statement as to tho
outlook for the miners quitting work
and as to the Humber that may be
involved. This is the view Of the sit
uation taken in the weekly news let
te. which IS sent out from the head
quarters OF the federation:
With the repl esentatives Of the I'm
tied Mine Workers Of America unable
to reach a satisfactory agreement in
the hiturninous and anthracite fields.
are that at the expiration
OF the present agreement. March 81. u
general cessation Of work will ensue.
President Taft recently requested John
Mitchell and a representative OF the
hard coal operators 10 meet in confer
ence II the White House but after the
invitations were extended they were
recalled and no conference is to take
place at present. To sum up the entire
matter it :s probable that no agree
nnent viii be rea ched until a consi6
cradle time has elapsed after general
cessation Of work. AS near as can be
determined. ii work ceases, between
100000 and 100000 coal miners will be
idle. altho with such q general cessa-
ton OF work this number may be large
ly increased by the miners in other
and non-union fields ceasing work as
d consequence Of the general disaf-
lection due to low wages among the
coal miners OF the entire country
A. Bad -as War.
II these figures are correct, and they
must be accepted as nearly so in any
event, there would be withdrawn from
industry as many men as would be
withdrawn in the event Of a great war
with a first class foreign power.
On the face OF things the investiga-
ton by the medium Of a commission
which is proposed would not be any,
thing like arbitration but as as mat
ter Of fact 1t is widely felt here that
II system can be arranged whereby
all the facts in any great labor dispute
are made known to the public and to
congress. the publicity itself will force
settlement.
At the same time that the house
committee on labor and the senate
committee on education and labor
have before them the Hughes-Borah
bill, the senate interstate comm cree
committee has before 1t the Townsend
bill. This bill, which Senator Townsend
of Michigan. introduced a few days
ago, is really an old bill for which
Townsend has been working a number
OF years. It was frst introduced by
him when he was a member Of the
house and grew out Of the fact that
the experience Of the anthracite strike
had convinced Roosevelt that ne should
have the authority to appoint COM
mission II investigation when any lab
or controversy arose. The Townsend
bill gives the president authority TO
appoint commission whenever he
deems that such a labor or industrial
dispute has arisen as to make 1t neces-
sary. The Hughes-Borah bill provides
for a single commission to make a gen.
eral and sweeping Investigation Of the
Industrial field.
GrinnsIi and Vicinity.
Special to Times Republican.