Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-12-17
Ur. Sfnnd

The general public will not fail TO be
grateful TO the man, who. as United
States fuel administrator took over tie
cxacting and thanklusS job OF controlling the
tucl resources Of the nation during the war
and who quit his collegiate duties when the
strike emergency becamc acute, went to
washington and sat upon the lid until y
settlement had been reached. This c~ollcgian
has rendered splendid service TO his fellow
Americans, and while at one time or another
most OF US found reason to complain against
some restriction he imposed, men every
where were willing TO agree that he adopted
diaStlc means TO get results only when dras-
tic action was imperative.
DR.. Garfield has now resigned the position
as head OF the fuel administration. lie has
sent a letter to the President giving his rca-
sons Tor desiring to leave his post al such
4 time as this. Flo has been dissa tisGcd with
the basis upon which the bituminous coal
strike was settled. lie did not rescn, the
fact that the President and the Cabinet took
the issue out OF the hands of the. fuel admin
lstratlon. He is willing TO admit that the
oflcial through whom he himself derived all
MS power had every right to act when time
Tor direct executive action should arrive.
But in reaching an agreement with the
miners tue President and his associates
made concessions which DR.. Garfield feels TO
be unjustifcd. Primarily an understanding
was arrived ab whereby "a commission will
~" ''''N" W StGhs duN lt'plliilclIb nc dtOD-
ton of n permanent scale basis. and which
vii! consider tho demand Of the mine
workers Tor an increase in wages in excess
OF the II per cent which has been granted
temporarily.
So far DR.. GARFIELD is able to SO along with
the President, but he halts before the promo
sition that this same commission is to have
the power to assess the coal consumer with
any part OF tho additional WACO increase
which may be allowed the miners. DR.. Car
icld has evidently become convinced that the
coal operators are making sufficient money
to enable them to pay IA per cent, or more
as an increase in wages TO their men with
out levying any tax whatever upon tho con-
sumner.
Abstractly DR.. Garfield may be right in
this contention. but it may devotion In the
course OF the Investigation which this COM
mission is to make that certain. perhaps
many of the operators will be unable to ab-
SorD the increase in wages without facing
ruin. The government has no right by
blanket orders Of the Garfield sort to ruin
any legitimate industry. or to cripple any
business enterprise. Nor should
the fuel administrator feel welded to any
policy the effect OF which is to drive coal
out Of business. thereby contract
ing the nations fuel supply, regardless OF
the hardships suffered by this business or
that.
1t is unfortunate that the officials Of tho
government should be in disagreement
among themselves as 10 the terms Of a strike
settlement. Such disagrccmcnts do not
make Tor successful negotiations with IN.
private interests involved and weaken the
hand OF the government generally. But in
the last analysis the responsibility for tho
administrations acts rests upon the Prcsi-
dent not upon his subordinates, and in this
instance the Presidents Judgment must be
assumed TO be correct until the unwisdom
of 1t is shown.