Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-06
HOT AIR FROM THE SENATE Z.
TO RELIEVE WINTERS COLD
II You Want TO Know Why Coal Is
Luxury, Listen to the Honorable
Mr. Shlelds. of Tennessee

.Mr, shields, or tennessee
ITO the Hudson Coal Company and its
senior vice president Mr.. W. II. Will
liams, of New York, the people of the United
States owe a peculiar debt of gratitude.
Mr.. Williams has not reduced the price
Of coal He has not even told why the
price of coal continues to cling to the moon.
But he has done something equally impor-
taut. He has given the country an oppor-
tunity to gaze for an amazing instant into
the dceps of the composite mind of the
United States Senate.
Few people read the Congressional
Record So. If the Hudson Coal Company
were not filing the mails with copies Of
n speech delivered by Senator John X.
Shields, Democrat, of Tennessee, in defense
of the coal monopolists the people Of the
United States never would have known-in-
deed, they never would have believed
that such speeches are possible or tolerable
In the Senate in this year Of grace.
The Hudson Company and all its brother
and sister companies obviously consider
Senator Shields a wizard III the field Of
logic. The Senate itself appears to have
had a similar impression, for it followed the
line Of reasoning outlined by the gentleman
from Tennessee in finally disposing of the
Frclinghuysen Coal Stabilzation Bill.
That bill was intended merely to give the
Federal Government right to examine the
system Of combination, production, dis
tribution and profit sharing which is pre-
sumed to keep anthracite and bituminous
prices at a fantastic altitude In retail mar
kets. But it seemed to Mr.. Shields that
the whole scheme Of free government would
be IN danger Of immediate collapse II the
bill were passed; that Mr.. Frelnghuysen
was suggesting IN act of awful lmpiety and
proclamation in the holy Of holes.
Why?
Because the starry banner still waves
Because, as the Senator from Tennessee saw
It, the people who founded this Republic in
the wilderness were sturdy and God fearing
people; because we sent great armies to
Europe; because our soldiers displayed mag
nifcent fortitude and courage and efficiency
because We have a Government which guar
autees civil and religious liberty: because,
Mr.. President and gentlemen Of the Senate,
we have no cause to fear foreign enemy
and no foreign government can conquer
and subdue America
Only twice did the Senator mention coal.
His spirit tluttered ecstatically in the clouds
that top the everlasting hills TO which every
political ranter fees when he is afraid TO
look q truth in the eye.
The soldiers who were so courageous are
home again aud they cannot afford to buy
coal.
The industries that are the strength OF
the country are being bicd by the coal
proftcPrs
Combines are formed to make a moCkery
Of every principle which free governments
are supposed to maintain and guard.
There are groups that actually seek to
make themselves more powerful than the
(,pyprDuNpD+ for uhirh tIig MI from Tan
nessoe sheds imitation tears Of imitation
pride.
II is great Government Senator
Shields couccdes that Gladly he comedies
il. But it is not worthy 10 look al the
books of proftecring corporations 1t could
not be trusted 10 do such u thing Were
the Government If the United States to
look into the books of these corporations
and determine whether the peace and safety
of tho country are hc;ng threatened by loot
hungry and extraordinarily bold combina-
tons We "should no longer be the sturdy
and sclf-roliart people who threw off the
yoke Of tho King Of Great Britain 80
Strange, unholievably murky ns the mind
~ this particular Senator seems at close
quarters, II IL still possible TO perceive
tho outlines of the character behind It.
Senator Shields IL the sort Of man who
would have denounced Noah for building
the AK. Ho would have accused Noah ot
iniquitous ratsrnalism. and he would have
proclaimed the sanCtty Of the established
ordcr aud the right Of every living creature
n freedom ~ action and Noah wonld have
kicked him INTO the deeps of a wood
Had the gentleman from Tennessee been
about when the sturdy settlers Of whom
he talks were building the foundations ot
the Republic he would have cried n heaven
against them and prorhosied disaster He
would have warned them darkly Of tho
evil Of meddlng with established institu-
tions.
After telling the Senate that an effort
70 regulate the coal business by Federal
acriou would lead to the collapse of the
Conytitutiou. Mr.. Shields cried "Surcly
In avortiug such calamity are serving
God 80
The god thnt tho Senator from Tennos
ser aorvod in this instance is the god ~.
thines s-the--sre and II Ices in or near
Wall street end ITS hymns are sung to the
a~ocrranirent Of cash rogsters n the
naua II thot god Senator Shields unloosod
in the Sorate torrent If the saddest. the
sil'iost tha most shameless fandoode ever
printed in the Congressional Record. And
the Senate seems actuallv 70 have listened 10
him and 10 hive believed at least n littla
Of what he said