The Washington herald., 1919-10-30

through their right of collective
bargaining, had entered into q SOL
em1 contract with the operators,
fixing wages and hours for a def
mite period which has not yet ex-
pired. The operators. upon the
insistence oS the President. indi-
Gated their willingness to nego-
tiate and arbitrate. providing the
strike is deferred. while the min
ers rejected the Presidents re-
quest for arbitration as . means
OF settlemen, and refused defer
the strike. Some OF the wage con-
tracts were made with the sane
tion of the Federal Government.
operating through the Fuel Ad-
ministration. to run during the
continuation OF the war. or until
April !. 1870. Many others. how
ever. run until time still in the
future, without regard for the con-
tinuation of the war.
War Is still ON.
While it is perfectly plain that
the war is still on and any con-
tract running until its conclusion
is still in force. whstever weight
may be given to the argument
that the successful opera ton of the
war no longer requires such con-
tracts. it has no application what
ever to the large number OF such
contracts which expire at a fixed
date without regsrd for the war
period The armistice did not
end the war. and the courts in
L. L.
war emergency statutes are still
in force: the same rule must ap-
ply TO our emergency contracts.
The Congress has held to this
position SO late as October -.
when an act OF Congress was ap-
proved making even more effect
i've the food and fuel control act.
The suspension of the restric-
tions as to the price OF coal is
not necessarily permanent. and
conditions warrant a renewal OF
those restrictions at any time;
and yet the government. IL 1t re-
instates the order fixing a maxi
mum price. would be, absolutely
helpless to protect the people
against exorbitant prices OF the
product if the contracts made un-
der its sanction should now be
deliberately broken. This does
not mean that a change could not
be negotiated and either. agreed
upon or arbitrated' IL proper pro-
lection Of the. public be accorded
in the settlement but II does
mean that the public welfare in
the wsr-time emergency must
still be the, paramount interest
to be served by both parties. The
government is the protector of the
public welfare.
The proposed strike. IL carried to
its logical conclusion. will par
alyze transportation and industry:
it will deprive unnumbered thou
sands Of men who are making no
complaint about their employment
Of their right to earn a livelihood
for themselves and families: will
put cities in darkness. and, IL con-
timed only for a few days. will
bring cold and hunger to millions
Of our people: II continued for a
month. II will leave death and star
vation in its wake. It would be a
more deadly attack upon the life
of the nation than an invading
army.
Recognized vital Force.
BY enacting the food and fuel
control @act.N Congress has recog-
nized the vital Importance in the
present circumstances Of maintain
ing production and distribution of
the necessaries of life, and has
made it unlawful for any concerted
action, agreement or the arrange
ment to be made by two or more
persons to Limit the facilities of
transportation and production. or
to restrict the supply and distribu-
ton OF fuel. or to aid or abet the
=. CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.