Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-11-28

I able chiefly because of the language Ii
which they are couched. Advices iron
London and Paris lead to the belle
that If such objections were removet
the other great powers would not hes
itate to accept the American reserva
lions. They all feel that without thu
participation of the United States thu
League of Nations would be a phan
tom thing, and In the words Of Gen
eral SHUTS: 1.-THE machinery of the
league is wanted to W. civilization
from dissolving into fragments, from
falling into decay. 1t alone can save
tottering Europe"
One London correspondent says most
Englishmen with a knowledge Of world
affairs would not be unpleased to see
the league plan fail, because they de-
sire an INSTRUMENTATION ALI
ance rather than a league in which ev-
cry little nation would have equal pow
ers with the great nations.
French officials were disappointed
but not surprised by the action Of the
American senate. They are more In
terested just now in the fate of the
Franco-American defense pact. 1t is
taken for granted that the allied pow
ers will put the Versailles treaty into
effect not later than December L. Be-
fore this is done, Germany must sign
the protocol to the treaty. The Ger
man delegates are objecting to the pro-
vision requiring them to make repara-
ton for the warships sunk in Scapa
Flow and want to argue the question.
So far the governments legal vic
tory over the striking coal miners has
proved but hollow. The union leaders
said no court action could compel the
men to work, and up to the present
they have made good on that PROPOSE
ton. In some fields some mines have
resumed operation, but the number is
so small that the situation is growing
decidedly desperate. Many trains have
been cancelled and Industries all over
the country are becoming alarmed.
When he opened the conference be-
tween the operators and the mine
ion leaders in Washington, Secretary
Of Labor Wilson told them they must
get together. Later Fuel Administra-
tor Garfield laid before the scale COM
mittees figures that demonstrated these
two things:
That the 60 per cent increase de-
manded by the miners Is %unreason-
able and impossible.
That the operators have a margin
heretofore paid out in excess profit
taxes upon which to base an increase
Of wages to the miners without neces-
stating a rise in the price Of coal to
the public.
DR.. Garfield then told the conferees
that the country must and should have
coal, and while he uttered no threats,
1t was the belief in Washington that
If an agreement we're not reached, the
government would resort to extreme
measures. What these would be can
only be conjectured, though 1t may be
1t would follow the example of Kansas
anu ' bdhOld, MIcIC Tie SldI6
has taken over the operation of the
mines by proclamation Of the governor.
Again it can only be guessed how, in
such case, laborers would be obtained.
Meanwhile Director General Hines
of the railroad administration is doing
everything possible to conserve the ma
tons supply of coal and to distribute
1t e%quitably. He has forbidden any
unnecessary use Of fuel by railroads
and industrialf plants. Also he has
placed a censorship on all news con-
corning the coal situation because, he
said, of false rumOrs that had been
attributed to officials of the administra.
ton. Mr.. Hines is especially endeav-
oring to keep as much traffic and in.
dustry moving as is possible and is re.
vising freight traffic to reduce unnec.
essary mileage. The announced pri.
ority in allowances and deliveries is
being continued. So far there has been
no embargo placed on freight.
In Colorado another strike or GOA
miners was called on Friday by the
district president because of allega.
lions that not all the striking miners
had been given unemployment. Those
who were not taken back, said the Cd
orators, were connected with the I
w. w. Hundreds of miners in the New
River fields Of West Virginia who ha6
returned to work quit again because
the operators had discontinued thu
"check off" system for the collection
of union dues.
President Wilson has taken the ad
vice of the group representing the pub
lie in the recent futile industrial co,
terence and has called another, the del