Evening journal., 1917-07-11
LANE AND HIS COLLEAGUES.

THE letter which Secretary Baker, tho Peter ran
a OF tho Cabinet has written in condemnation OF his
colleague Secretary Lane because the latter agreed
that tho price coal should be fixed at three dol
lars ton, bodies good for the peace OF mind OF the
administration Mr. Baker describes the price as I'M
just and extortionae The country, the other hand
looks upon it as fair and reasonabe-and in any
event it is not final Three dollars ton is not a
price agreed upon to fixed for the whole period OF
the war; or for any length Of time, but merely a
basic or tentative price which is to DO modified in
vestigation or other means indicates that change
should be made
Moreover the country IS prone 10 remember that
Secretary Lane with the coal situation by actually
doing something while his colleagues only talked about
A. He brought the coal operators and the coal com
mittee Of the Council Of National Defense together and
the problem was threshed out, with result that tho
tentative price placed at figure considerably be-
low that then prevailing in the coal trade He be
lieyed that the coal operators had done patriotic
thing he believed that he himself had done help
fui thing And tho country believes this 700.
Consequently, it is easy to that tho President
viii have an opportunity practice tho arts peace
making at home long before he do at inter-
national council table where will be settled the prob
lens Of the war lie will havo to decide whether
Secretary Baker s right in denouncing tho course
which Secretary Lane has taken, whether Secretary
Daniels Is correct in playing "me too role with Mr..
Baker. whether Attorney General Gregory is within
his functions threatening 20 proceed under tho sher-
man law against all coal operators who sell coal to
tho government at So ton.
Mr. Lane more than any other member OF the Cab
met commands public confidence He has distinctly
made good in every position he has filled. lie halls
from California which State the President under
some political Obligation and Mr.. Wilson's action in
the premises will be taken sympomatc Of tho policy
under which the war is TO be conducted and its col
lateral domestic problems dealt with If Lane is per-
mittod to be stgmatlzed by two OF his colleagues as
party to injustice and oxortion and threatened by
third with prosecution Il will be taken TO mean that
Baker and Daniels and the inenicency which they
represent be the main reliance Of the nation in
the war. If a compromise is adopted and an three
men remain in the Cabinet with some sort OF a modus
vvend under which the face OF each shall be saved
will mean that the policy OF "muddng through" is
to continue either of these contingencies the fer
vent prayer will be God save the United States
Of America" But if the President squarely puts him
behind Secretary Lane and takes the position that
effective deeds are more to be commended than fair
sounding words, the whole country will take heart
It is counted as a fortunate circumstance that
the incident has arisen thus early in tho course Of the
war while so many OF the problems OF war procedure
are under consideration Congress II Lane is TO be
thrown overheard there will be a reaction IN Con-
gross. II he is sustained, Congress will delay for a
time the explosion which is bound TO or
later because of the in which the Presidents
subordinates have interpreted their functions and
have icopardzod the national interests under the plea
OF "war necessity"