The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-19

But 1t may be a long time cOmlnS-seVenf
years, perhaps, if ratified from the date OF sub
mission. The vote of thirteen state legislatures
may block adoption. In the meantime a cam
paign of education will be in progress. If this
campaign is as effective with members OF
legislatures as it has been in the congress the
country will be freed of a curse that too long has
brought it much that cannot be forgiven.
THROW LIGHT ON COAL SITUATION.
Governor Cox, of Ohio, has ripped through
federal regulations in order to get coalition his
perishing people. Governor Whitman is re-
ported to be contemplating action by the state
government of New York. In every city and
town and hamlet in Iowa the situation at the
coal yards is tense. The people OF Iowa prob
ably will approve what is done by one COVER
nor and contemplated by another. We can un-
.derstand the impulse behind it. Nevertheless,
we cannot approve state action IN conflict with
federal action. The whole tendency is catalyp-
tic. It must be checked before there is a break
ing up of the system Of control for whose insti-
tuition the federal government was given plen-
airy power by congress at the last session.
The coal problem is a war problem. War
problems are national problems, and the inter
~yention Of state governments may have conse-
quences bearing disastrously on the prosecu-
ton of the war.
Congress undeniably is the instrument to
deal with the situation. Coal control, through
the administrative department charged with 1T,
has failed to supply great areas of the country
with necessary fuel. Senator Lodge COM
plains on behalf Of New England. Governor
iCox's action is a sufficient indication of condi-
tions in the middle west. Telegraph des-
patches say that the people of Scranton, Penn,
built on top of coal mines and cupped In a cir
Gle of coal heaps, are perishing for lack of coal.
IOf the coal situation in the state of Iowa it is
needless to speak.
In the midst of this deprivation Admins
traitor Garfield tells two hundred chairmen OF
war service committees that Reduction in con-
sumption alone can save the country from a
coal famine"
If what we have is not a coal famine, it is
! difficult to imagine what Administrator Gar
field would call it.
No convincing explanation Of the condition
we are experiencing has been made to the
American people. The common impression is
that it ought to have been foreseen and fore
stalled. Warning was given months ago. At.
%tention was called to the certainty of trouble
this winter if action were not taken to induce
production and facilitate transportation. The
I, public believed such action had been taken. In
deed, we are now told that the production has
gone above the normal by a tremendous
amount. Yet the fact is that through a coal
shortage a blow is struck at the morale of the
American people which is most difficult to UNI
derstand.
There must be a cause for it, and there is nc
conceivable reason why the government should
not take the people into it's confidence. If wal
industries have increased the consumption OF
coal here to the extent reflected in this sudden
poverty of coal, let us have the facts and fig
: ures. What must be borne will be borne by the
i American people to win this war. If our al
t lies need more coal than they did last year from
us, let the fact be frankly stated. There is no dis
=? position to deny them whatever they may
need for the prosecution of the war. But let us
know that every element not continent with TIL
\ great purpose of this nation has been elimi
r mated; that the coal control has been admins
tered with the best possible intelligence, ant
that what we suffer is necessary in order to win
the war.
In the present crisis nothing is more import
ant than sustaining the morale and keeping
aflame the spirit of the people of America. Wa
listens to no explanations of failure; war ha
only two things to give-success or extinction
Every official bureau should be worthy of pub
lie confidence and the public should know it.
II Panama is about to declare war on Austria
j TIL, ebou-p tbat papanJa means we'll and won