The Washington times., 1919-10-21
MAY SEIZE MINES
ASLAST RESORT
Continued from First Page.)

tration, is still operatives; that under
that amendment the President has
full authority to take over any mine
or field of mines and to operate II or
them in order that the nation may be
fueled, and that an Executive order
may be issued recalling Fuel Admin
istrator Garfield and re-establishing
the machinery of the Fuel Admins
tration. There is no appropriation
for the expenses of such an admins
tration, but Congress is in session
and can pass an urgent deficiency bill
within forty-eight hours
War Powers i'm Eject.
II Is known, moreover, that Con-
gress even now is considering Iegis-
lation designed to establish a meas
ure of peace-time control over the
coal industry and. that this legisla-
tion would be given unexpected sup
port IL a strike should come or IL the
mines should be taken over temporar-
lily in order to head off strike.
1t is remembered further that the
war powers of the Government will
remain nominally in effect until the
peace treaty Is ratified and peace Is
proclaimed; that these powers are be-
ing exercised in the Government
operation of the railroads, in the cam
paign against the high cost OF living,
in the operation of merchant ships
and in the enforcement of nation
wide prohibition
These things are not forgotten, or
hould not be, by the coal miners who
threatened to freeze the nation into
accepting their demands or by the
operators who already have had a
taste of Government control of their
properties, Government regulation of
-
upon their profits.
Miners Would Fight Msve.
It might be expected that the miners
would welcome such a move as has
just been suggested more readily than
the operators, inasmuch as there is
an important element in their ranks
which is clamoring for "nationaliza-
ton" OF the coal resources Of the
country and which seems to be work.
ing toward Government ownership as
toward the golden end of a rainbow.
But IL SO happens that the Govern
ment, as represented by the Federal
Fuel Administrator, has taken sides
against the miners in the present
situation. He has asserted that the
existing wage contract between the
United Mine Workers and the Central
Competitive Field operators is effec-
the war or until the end Of April, 1920,
IL the peace proclamation has not been
issued by that time.
Would Follow Letter.
In other words. IL DR.. Garfield
should resume his authority over the
coal industry, he Immediately would
demand that the miners adhere to the
letter of their agreement and IL they
should yield to that demand their
fight would be lost in so far as this
winter is concerned Because of this
fact, the miners might be expected to
resist Government operation Of the
mines as bitterly as the operatorss
and might carry out their strike pro-,
gram against the Government with
the same abandon that they threaten
to strike against the operators.
1t should be stated once more that
the resort to Government operation of
those coal mines against which the
strike is ordered is merely a posi-
bility OF the present situation and
will not be recommended by Secre-
tary Wilson until all hope OF a
peaceful agreement between the
miners and their employees or of arbi-
tration OF the dispute has been given
up.
But the fact remains that the Gov
eminent will not suffer the country
to be paralyzed for lack OF fuel so
long as IL has the power to prevent
such a disaster, and that, IL driven
to extremities, II has the Lever act
to fall back upon. No such momen-
tous decision, however. would be made
without the assent OF the President
or Of the acting President II Mr.. Will
son is unable to deal with the ques-
ton.