Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-10-30

manner, for purpose and with a
necessary effect, which taken together,
put it outside the pale of the law. After
the war began, the production OF fuel
was regarded as one of the subjects OF
much peculiar public Importance as TO
justify q special statutory enactment.
The fuel administration was created to
supervise the subject and matters OF
! wages, as well as prices. were considered
and sanctioned by the fuel administra-
| ton.
After the cessation of hostilities. the
| fuel administration suspended certain of
| its orders, but did not terminate them.
and they are subject to reinstatement
| at any time upon the presidents order
and the statute under which the orders
were made is still in full force.
With this situation existing, the con
vention Of United Mine Workers at
| Cleveland, last September. decided TO
annul all wage contracts on November
| and took the unprecedented step Of
deciding in advance OF any opportunity
for consultation either with the govern
ment or with the coal operators. to
strike on November /. unless salts
/ factory new arrangements should be
made.
I without any expression from the
workers themselves, the organization pro-
mulgated demand for a 60 per cent
/ increase in wages. d six hour day and a
! five day week--or a strike, to become
effective Nov. before the demands
were even presented to the operators.
I The demand for new wage agreement
! covered only part Of the coal fields,
| but the strike order was sent broadcast
to workers in other fields, where oper-
ators had been given no opportunity to
| consider demands for increased wages
| or decreased hours.
| "All this has been done while the
miners in every field, through their right
| of collective bargaining, had entered into
a solemn contract with the operators fix
ing wages and hours for a definite period
which has not yet expired. The
operators, upon the insistence of the
president, indicated their willingness to
strike is deferred, while the miners re-
iected the presidents request for arhi-
tration as a means of settlement aud
refused to defer the strike.
Some of the wage contracts We're
| made with the sanction of the federal
government operating through the fuel
administration. to run during the con-
tinuation Of the war, or until April |.
1920. Many others, however. run until
a time still in the future, without regard
for the continuation of the war.
RFmiSkICS btuH Emu W d.
While it is perfectly plain that the
war is still on and any contract running
until its conclusion is still in force. what
ever weight may be given to the argu-
ment that the successful operation of
the war no longer requires srch con-
tracts, it has no application whatever
to the large number of such contracts
which expire at a fixed date without re-
gard for the war period.
''rhe armistice did not end the wa.
and the courts, in many cases, have helc
that the war emergency statutes arc
still in force The same rule must apEAl,
to war emergency contracts. The con
gress has held to this position as late
as October %, when an act of congress
, was approved making even more effec
tive the food and fuel control act.
The suspension Of the restrictions a.
. to the price Of coal is not necessaril.
permanent. and conditions warrant re
: newal Of these restrictions at this time
and vet the government, if it reinatnte'
the order fixing maximum price, Woult
be absolutely helpless to protect. TIL
people against exorbitant prices Of fh
product If the contracts made under It
sanction should now be deliberatel,
broken. This does not mean that
change could not be negotiated an
either agreed upon on arbitrated, \
: proper protection Of the public be &C
t corded lii the settlement, but il doe
mean that the public welfare in fhe war
, time emergency must still be the sam
, permanent interest to be served by bot
I parties. The government Is the pro
tcctor Of the public welfare.