The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1922-08-03

mines. The head of the United
Mine Workers says that not single
union miner has been forced to re-
turn to work by the assembling and
parading of engines of war;" The
resourceful leader, Mr.. John L. Lewis,
has insisted that the settlement of
the strike must he general and not
by districts as the operators desire
Such a settlement would be the COM
lpiete triumph of unionism in the
coal fields. Heretofore the patch
ed-up" peace that has brought hos
tilities to a close has been made on a
basis that left only parts of the field
Iunionized. The coal operators are
seeking to duplicate such settle
ment. Between tho strikers and
their employers the issue narrows
down to question as to whether or
not the whole coal mining industry
will be unionized-as is the railroad
industry.
The problems of the Administration
would be somewhat lessened if the
coal mining industry was included
wholly within the unions. But the
Administration contends THAT the
question of unions or no-unions is. not
it's concern. The public demands
coal mining and coal delivery. The
Government has mo- particular de-
gree of control over the coal mines,
as it has with the railroads. These
powers seem meagre and futile
enough with the railroad situation,
but they are even less with the coal
problem.
1t is certain that the country must
have COAL Only the most drastic
emergency would cause the Admin
istration to consider 'snationalizing
the Mines" But there is a new and
untried issue that must DE settled
sometimes, and it may be determined
before the close of the present in
| dustrial crisis. That is the deter
minationas to whether the public
| interest can be protected against all
interference, either by labor or cap
italistic groups.
GENERAL SAWYER'S MISKAPS
Custom prescribes that the Presi-
dent of the United States shall have
la personal physician" but laws
of which we have so, many, provide
IAN appropriation therefor" In
consequence the President always
brings along his family doctor and
has him made Major" or some
ching else in the Army, and assigned
to the particular job of looking after
the health of the inmates of the
White House. It seems a ridiculous
performance nevertheless t,aat is
it is always done. President Hard
ing went his predecessors one-better
and when the medico from his old
home town got into his army clothes
his shoulder-straps showed him to be
a General" In explanation of his
advancement over his predecessors
it was announced that General Saw
yer had been delegated special pow
ers with regard to the public health.
He was made chief-c 7ordinator of
| the Federal Board of disqualification.
But the Generals day-dream has been
ruthlessly disturbed by the demands
of many representative members of
the American Legion that he "stand
aside" 1T is claimed that General
Sawyer has prevented the programs of
the Veterans Bureau from going in
to effect, and letters assailing him in
dicate that he has not proper ap-
probation of the physical and mental
remedies that should be applied in
caring for the men whose lives were
wrecked by the war.
"The Presidents friend" might
have been immune from these attacks
had he been sworn in as a major"
and contented himself with locking
after the Presidents. health. Or
dinarily the only additional duties
would have been pertained to after
noon teas, receptions, golf, m otoring,
and similar enervating activities.
But poor old DR.. Sawyer was made
a General and clothed with public
duties. Evidently has has not been
giving satisfaction to the American
Legion, and that organization is
spelling the old physicians fun. Gen.
eral Sawyer will probably be like the
man in one of Shakespeare's plays
who thought his greatness a-ripen-
ing, only to discover that on the
third-day there "comes a frost" The
siseudo-t{ agedy might have been
avoided had the old Doctor been sat
isfed with the title of Captain. or
even that of Major.
OPEN LETTER TO
/ nnvyDnNr0r