Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-12-23
BY DAVID LAWRENCE

Copyright 1919 for Tho Atlanta Journal. y |
WASHINGTON, Decree The gov
eminent is having it's first critical
experience in trying to put into con-
crete settlement some of the many
vague phrases banded about in con-
gressional speeches and presidential
messages so often about "harmonix-
ing the relations between capital and
labor"
For a while the coal miners were
the object of bitter criticism and the
operators seemed to be the reason
able folks willing to do anything to
get coal for the country. Even the
delicate power of injunction was used
in an effort to bend the VIII of the
miners-and they finally agreed to
negotiate. Out \of the series of ne
gotiations has come another plan,
sponsored by the government. The
miners like 1.-THE operators do not.
So in executive quarters one finds
opinion veering. Now it Is the OPP
orators who are blocking settle
ment.
The laymen may be puzzled but
the observer close at hand is no bet
ter off. For both sides are making
contradictory stands and intimating
that the other isn't telling the truth,
For instance, the operators claim
they weren't consulted in the latest,
memorandum for a settlement of the
strike. The officials at the depart
ment of justice say the opposite.
1t appears that P. M. Bogart re-
ceived. for the operators, copy
of the Palmer memorandum just be-
| fore the miners convention receiv-
| ~ it'll
tors on the other hand admit that,
but say they called attention to the
! fact that the plan was a charge from
the Garfield scheme of settlement.
| They deny that anybody approved it
for them.
Game OF Barter and Bargain
The many ups and downs of the
controversy filled with technical de-
tails and charges, ounter-charges
simply give one the impression that
the whole thing is merely the old
fashioned same old game of barter
and bargain. First the miners cry
out that they must have 40 per
| cent incr -..se in wages or starVe.
The operators offer 20 per cent. Sec
rotary Wilson things 81 per cent is
right. Along comes DR.. Garfield and
insists upon IA per cent.
The operators being trained to the
art of bargaining squirm and make it
appear that they are hard hit by
that IA per cent, but that to be good
sports and to stand by their gov
ernmen hey will absorb the Ia per
cent. But no big Increase in coal
production comes. The state gov
ernments become FESTIVE and begin
negotiating separately with the
| miners.
The situation becomes serious
and the government tries it's hand
again, this time with President Will
son himself appealing to both sides.
to accept commission TO settle the
dispute. The miners repeat that
they are Americans, and accept.
They, too, make it appear that the
settlement is altogether satisfactory.
Their convention remains in session
| long, and the radicals are represent
ed as terribly stubborn. Finally the
miners are on record as accepting.
Then it is the operators turn.
again. The viewpoint of the opera
tors is that a commission of three
is too small and that they are UNI
willing to bestow upon it sweeping
powers over the coal industry. espe-
cially when at any time within the
near future the Lever act. under
which the comission would have
the same powers as the fuel admin
istraton had, may come off the
statute books. They are consider
! ing seriously whether to agree to
the plan as A commission of 'inves-
| tigatiOn," and not as a body whose
| results are binding upon them.