Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1922-07-18
CRISIS IN COAL.
SITUATION ACTUALLY
AT HAND BELIEF
President And Cabinet To
Map Out Procedure.
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
/. N. S. staff Correspondent.

Washington, July 1S.-At a two
hour session of the cabinet today.
devoted entirely to discussion OF the
grave industrial situation 1t was de-
cided that President Harding should
address communication OF the
Governors of the As states OF the
by troops IL necessary, the public In.
tercst which has been endangered
union calling upon them to protect,
by the twin rail and coal strikes.
Washington, July 1S.-"We are
sitting tight and saying nothing"
This was the only response John
Il. Lewis, President of the United
Mine Workers would make today
to inquiries as to plans of his or.
ganization in view of the contem.
plated re.opening Of the coal mines
under federal and state protection.
Washington. July 1S.--While coal
operators were scattering to their
districts today to reopen the idle
mines under mandate from the
federal government. with the as
surance OF protection that such
mandate implies, President Hard
ing went into session with his cab.
met to MAO out n complete prog
ram of government procedure.
That the long discussed show
down and crisis is actually at hand
no one in Washington doubted to-
day. The President has virtually
ordered the coal mines of the coun.
try to reopen under guarantee OF
protection Of federal troops, II nee
essary, to inquire coal enough to
keep the country from freezing
next winter.
With the die cast in the coal
sti ike, however. the allied strike
Of railway shopmen and its attend
ant interruption OF transportation
assumed paramount Importance.
FrutIess Accomplishment
Government officials who would
express an opinion freely admitted
that unless the government ia sue
cessful in It's efforts TO settle the
railroad strike, the re-opening OF
the mines will be fruitess &C.
mpllshment within few weeks
because there will be no cars to
transport the coal once 1t Is min.
cd.
Even II the strike of tho railway
shopmen does not spread to other
craftsI-and it Is believed 1t will
spread-oflicias OF the government
and Of tho unions privately admit
ted that IL will be only a question
of weeks until lack OF repairs puts
most of tho rolling stock OF the
railroads ont Of commission.
Government Apprehenslve
There was frank apprehension in
government quarters today that
the strike OF other crafts in the
railroad industry might be hasten
ed by the resentment felt in labor
circles over the re-opening OF the
mines under troop protection.
Tho federal government plans to
move cautiously in the matter Of
sending troops of the regular army
to mine strike duty.
Protection Of the mines first OF
all is the duty Of local officials
municipal and state-and until
these agencies have broken down,
President Harding does not intend
to aggrayate an already tense stu
alton by the dispatch or regulars
into any district.
II was made empha tically clear,
however, BY administration spokes-
mon that President Harding Is de-
tcrmiGed that coal shall be mined
end to that end he will not hest
tate should the emergency arise,
to resort to every power possessed
bY the federal government to ac-
conrlish It.
Penna. To Reopen First
The expectation prevailed IN
Washington today that Pennsyl-
vania viii be the first TO reopen.
Pennsylvania, with its long expert
encc in harding ugly strike situa-
tions, It's efficient state police and
Continued on page eight