Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-11-04
CONFERENCE MAY
DEAL WITH COAL.
AND OTHER STRIKES
Secretary Lane viii Bring
the Locomotive Engineers
Suggestion Before Cabi-
net Meeting Tuesday

w AoI14AN yin, NV o-SSSl
tary of the Interior Lane said today
that at the next cabinet meeting he
will call attention to the proposal of
the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers for appointment by the gov
eminent of a commission to deal
with the coal strike and the general
industrial situation.
A weekly meeting of the cabinet
is scheduled for tomorrow.
Secretary Lane said he regarded
the proposal as an Endorsement OF
the offer made by President Wilson
to the miners to submit their de-
mands to a commission to be ap-
pointed by him.
1t is considered likely that the
cabinet will recommend to the pres
sion, provided the coal mine strike
is first declared ended.
Endorsement of the commission
proposal by other sections of organ
lied labor would tend to show that
labor is seeking justice and not SIM
ply more power, officials here be-
lieve.
Favor Code
President Wilson and other Of
ficers of government, it is under
stood, hold the opinion that an in
dustrial code must be drawn up, and
subscribed to by the workers and
the employers, else many serious
strikes will come in the train of
the steel and coal walkouts, and with
no liaison between labor and the cap
italists, the situation will become
steadily more acute and interfere
with production more widespread.
Since the original industrial con-
ference dissolved after having split
on the rock of collective bargaining
the president has been considering
calling another one, to make a fresh
start. His list of delegates, 1T was
learned, is partly made up.
The proposal of the railway men
giving him the opportunity to act.
The suggestion of the locomotive
engineers was:
Engineers Suggestion
GAS a remedy for the present tur-
bulent conditions, we suggest that
immediate steps be taken to assemble
at Washington an Industrial commits
sion that will recognize bargaining,
as this is a time for deliberate &C
ton on the part of all concerned in
a peaceful solution of the present
conditions"
While such an organizations prime
object would be the drafting of an
industrial code acceptable to both
sides, government officials believe
that one of the first concrete prob
lens to be put before it would be
settlement of the coal strike. Pres
1dent Wilson is ready to initiate
mediation provided the miners first
return to work. 1t was considered
probable the industrial commission,
called at the instigation of labor,
would be able to arrange a truce
which would insure the nation a sup
ply of coal and at the same time
give the president a change to en-
g1neer permanent settlement,
Railway Demands
1t was learned that in proposing
the new conference the railway men
had in mind their own demands,
which are at present before Rail
Director Hines. His reply to them
Will be submitted to the railway
unions membership for a strike vote.
Leaders of the unions foresee what
such walkout, coming on top of
the coal and steel strikes would mean
to the country just at this time when
an effort is being made to increase
production and get the domestic ma
chlnery running smoothly again to
bring down prices. They recommend
the converting of an industrial con-
terence on new basis, in the hope
that through it a railroad strike
might be avoided.
The brotherhoods' proposition will
have the support of practically all
cabinet officers, according to the
first reaction to the suggestion. The
government is looking for way out
and the brotherhood leaders had a.
long conference with Attorney Cen
eral Palmer and also with Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor, before making
public their proposal.
A number Of senators are expected
to line up behind it. Several of them
have been making suggestions in the
same direction as the railroad men
but the latter's is the first con-
crete idea that has been put forward