The Springfield herald., 1914-06-19
Congressman Keat-
in9'S Letter

| IhAHpS cJ SSluVOI ItODSIO L.
Owen of Oklahoma and in the
House by myself,
Authorizing the President OF
the United States to appoint a
commission to settle the Colo
RADIO coal strike:
Resolved by the Senate s.nd
House of Representatives Of the
United States of America in Con.
gress assemblies: That the
President Of the United States
is hereby directed to appoint a
commission of five persons, dis
tinguiShed in experience, dis re-
ton, and integrity, and free
from any interest in the disput-
ed questions, to invite the coal
operators and coal miners of the
state of Colorado to Immediately
submit the questions in contro-
versy to said commission for set
t,ement. Said commission shall
inquire into, consider, and pass
upon the questions in controver
sy, and, if submitted, settle the
same upon a just and permanent
basis, with view to preventing
the recurrence of such difficul-
ties in the future, and in any con
tingency make q full report of the
fscts and their conclusions TO
Congress at the earliest practi-
cable date, and not latel ii an De.
ember hrst, nineteen hundred
and fourteen.
The resolution as originally
drafted was an exact copy of the
agreement under which Presi-
dent Roosevelt named con- mis-
sion to adjust tie famous anthra.
cite cofl strike liz PENNSYLVANIA
and provided fol- a commission
OF five persons, onc Of whoa sha;l
be an oijcer ct tae Engineer
corps of either the milits. " or
na3'L service .ifs the ;lite I
States, one NJ ,-hora Shal. - an
expert ,ni,.iu2 engineer. ona of
whom shall be f,milial with the
commercial handling of coal,
one of whom shall be familiar
with the employment of labor,
and one of whom shall be Of EN-
-inence as sociologist. .
We struck out the qual;fi i.
cations OF the members of the
proposed commission ct the sug-
gestion of certain senator's who
felt that the President should be
left free 10 select high. class men
without regard to professional
or business connections.
With tie Single change noted,
the Overwhelming resolution is a
reproduction CT the document
which enabled Roosevelt to bring
Industrial peace TO Pennsylvania
through the adjustmento of a CON
troversy involving ten times as
N any men and twenty times as
much capital as are concerned in
Colorado's difficulties.
Why can't the same results be
produced by the same means in
Colorado?
In what particular does the
Colorado strike differ from
strikes in Pennsylvania, West
Virginia, Ohio or Illinois?
BY comparison viii. other i::-
dustrial wars which have claimed
the attentio- OF tn people of this
country within recent years, til e
Colorado strife affects ! small
nun Ser Cr men and !. Smuii a.
mount of capital. 1t is true chat
the loss in human life has beer
shoc!1ingly large but that is only
another and a compelling reason
why the state and nation should
demand a prompt and peaceful
and, above al, q permanent a6-
justment.
/ think | am familiar with the
temper of Congress on the Colo
radc situation. and ] do not hes
itate 70 say.
IF the .Arne cwrers and strik.
ing minets .4.. agree 10 submit
the,i-4 4iHereaae l. = commission
to be appointed BY the presi.
dent. the Oven Kea tirs resoIn.
ton can he out through both
houses in forty-ejgnt hours.
\ rlj,a ,,,-aSiGarA will u.id,uhta1iy