Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-20
Senate Committee to Hasten
Action on Proposed Coal
Strike Probe.
PLANNED TO BROADEN
SCOPE OF INVESTIGATION
Borah May Head Inquiry. Which, If
Authorized, Will Be Conducted
in West Virginia.

Senator Hoke Smith OF Georgia, chair
man of the Senate committee on educa-
ton and labor, today issued call for a
meeting OF that committee tomorrow at
~ O'Clock to take up the consideration
or the Kern resolution calling for an in
vestigation by a Senate committee of tina
coal strike district OF Weso Virginia. The
resolution was referred TO his committee
by the Senate yesterday afternoon
1t Is expected that the committee will
order a prompt report OF the resolution.
IL IL probable that the committee will
broaden the scope OF tine resolution call
ing for an investigation
Probable Investigators.
The Senate leaders expect that the
work of investigation will be turned over
to subcommittee of the committee on
education and labor. probably with Sena-
tor Borah of Idaho as chairman. and
with Senators Swanson and Shields a.
the other members
Ihe subcommittee, IL is expected. pro-
vided the Senate passes the resolution
calling for the investigation after il is
reported back from the fun committee.
will not only hold meetings i'm Washing
ton. but will go to West Virginia and
into the coal strike district and learn a,
first hand about the conditions existing
there now and before the strike was be-
gun.
Reference a Surprise.
The announcement by Senator Kern
that the resolution. by mutual consent.
would De referred to the committee Oh
education and labor, came as a surprise
to many persons who had been followins
the course of the measure. 1t had been
expected that Senator Kern would insist
upon a vote. Some Of the senators op-
| posed to the resolution considered that
they had won at least a partial victory.
| Just before the debate closed Senator
Works of California submitted an amend
ment to the resolution which was refer
| red to the committee. along with the res
| o,ution Senator Works amendment pro-
vides that Investigations shall be made
also of the conditions under which the
employees of the mines are required u
| work, wages paid, hours of labor. kind OF
| contract under which labor is performed.
the system of lighting, ventilation ana
| sanitation employed In such mines ana
| the efficiency thereof and any other tacts
4 affecting the interest and well being ol
4
| In support of his amendment senator
Works declared that the facts called lot
! by the resolution of investigation as suo-
] mitted by Mr. Kern were already before
/ the Senate but that what should be a.
certained were the conditions under
which the miners worked and which hs
believes may be responsible for the con-
dition of insurrection in West Virginia.
Senator Gof Closes Debate.
Senator Goff closed the debate on the
resolution. He admitted conditions We're
had in West Virginia. but pointed out
that the strike was settled now and peace
was returning to the disturbed regions
He laid the blame for the trouble at the
door of labor agitators. and said that
tho Governor could do nothing else but
declare martial law.
Senator Goff brought Senator kern IN
haste down from the senator : saiers,
when he expressed the opinion that since
the resolution was introduced Efforts had
heen made to have tele2rams urging ~
necessity sent to senators and 10 WASH
| ine,op He said he had no DOUBT the
senator from Indiana had sent out mes
sapes asking for help. and added God
knows he needed it. -
Il sent no such message repneu W.
Kern as soon as he could reach the moor
and get the eye OF the Wee rreslaeh'
There was no need to ask Tor hessa ses.
! They are coming yet. The senator from
Was, Virginia Is in error If he thinks II is
necessary for ANYBODY here TO call Tor en-
nraseions Of sentiment from people Out
raped In state where the military have
| taken the place of the civil courts.
.The usual beautiful display or gem
eralities" commented Mr. ION