The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-08-21
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THE PRESIDENT AND THE COAL SIT.
UATION.

The coal crisis is natural in scope. It is not a
matter pertaining to any one section of the coun-
try, for every section, hot and cold, is involved,
and in the summer time as well as in the winter.
It therefore is we'll for the president to act
for the nation instead of relying upon state activ-
tiles alone. Uniform action among so many states
is manifestly impossible.
The president, it appears, is intent upon hand
ing the job over to the federal trade commission,
which will fix prices at the mines and to the
public. The commission has carefully scrutinized
prices in some half dozen important mining states
and has it's figures ready to prove what the puA lie
already knows-that coal prices are unreasonably
inflated and production kept down.
That the president opposes federal seizure of
the mines and their operation is evident; at least,
he has not come to the conclusion to go to these
lengths at this time. Later, if conditions do not
improve, this move is still possible.
The real problem now is to bring about max
imum production. But strikes and disagreements
between operators and state authorities, the lack
of cars and other reasons ARE preventing the prop
er production and storage Of coal for winter use.
Not only ourselves, but our allies will feel the
effects of this lack of production, because we shall
have precious little to export.
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EXPRESSES OUR SENTIMENT.
The following anent the contest for United
States Senator in Mississippi from the Greenville
Democrat-Times expresses the sentiments of The
Commonwealth:
"The Democratic would like to see the
race for United States Senator in Mississippi next
year fought out by Senator Vardaman and Con-
gresham Harrison, with the issue drawn between
the two, one standing by the Democratic President
and the other against him; one defending the
nations honor and the other defending his own
position. Both have records at Washington that
can't be lodged, both are capable of presenting
their views and defending their records on the
stump, and Harrison was a friend of Vardaman
in 1901. So we would be pleased to see the
race made on the real national issue, and without
pretending to forecast the result of the election
between the two men, the result would certainly
indicate whether a majority Of Mississippians con-
slider Vardaman greater than the party"
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AMERICAS CAUSE FOR WAR.
"The military masters of Germany denied US
the right to be neutral. They filled our COMMUNE
ties with vicious spies and conspirators. They
sought to corrupt our citizens. X = They
sought by violence to destroy our industries and
arrest our commerce They tried to incite Mex
leo to take up arms against us and to draw japan
into hostile alliance with her. They impudcntly
denied US the use of the high seas and repeatedly
executed their threat that they would send to
their death any of our people who ventured to ap-
proach the coasts of Europe. "
This flag under which we serve would have
been dishonored had we withheld our hanI."-'
Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States.
Gen. Crowder put one across on the "conscien-
Itious DIRECTORS" when he decided that they should
be drafted land given non-fghting duties in the
army. !