Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-14
HARD COAL MEN TRY TO EvADE
AN ALl-SEElNC COMMISSION
Reply TO President Hardins's Arbltra.
ton Proposal Shrewdly Seeks to Limit
Inquiry to Wages and to Dodge
Freight and Sales Costs
BY GEORGE NOX Mccain


THE anthracite operators have sub
L mitted their answer to President Hard.
ing's offer of arbitration in the coal situa-
tion The reply Is not an acceptance of the
Presidents proposition. 1t is a counter
proposition advanced under the guise of
suggestions.
1t shifts the basis Of negotiation as sug-
gostcd by the Chief Executive Of the Nation
and II lodges the main issue.
In their communication the operators say
We agree to abide without reservation or
qualification Ivy the findings of commits
sion so TO be appointed and empowered.
This seemingly unqualified acceptance is
not acquicsccnce In the whole proposition
OF President Harding. 1t is n declaration
of acceptance provided two commissions in
stead of on" ar" appointed and the question
of investigating all the costs of production
and transportation is omitted.
In placing before the employers and en-
ployes of the anthracite and btuminous
mine fields plan for ending the present
destructive conditions President Harding,
In direct language, said:
The commission shall investigate ex-
haustivey every phase Of the coal indus
try. 1t shall reveal every cost Of produc-
ton and transportat ton. The President
will ask Congress to confer authority for
the most thorough investigation. and make
appropriations necessary to do such work.
The anthracite operators do not un.
equvocally. ns their answer would imply to
hastily reading public, accept the broad
basis of settlement laid down by Mr. Hard
ing.
The Presidents desire 70 get at basic
principles does not mean simply an inves-
tigation of wages and working conditions In
the mines. 1t contemplates revelation of
every cost of production and transporta-
ton This. however. is not the desire of
the Coal Trust, which is the overshadowing
figure in anthracite production.
Throughout the entire length of the letter
of Messrs. s. d. Warriner W. J. Richards.
W. l.. Connell and W. W. Inglis. repre-
senting the anthracite operators, the sug-
gestion to investigate anything except wages
and mine conditions is very carefully
avoided Everywhere there appears re-
peatedy the expression affecting wages
and working conditions" Never n word
which indorses or accepts the suggestion of
an investigation that "shall reveal every cost
Of production and transportation as par
ticularly specified by Mr.. Harding
President Harding has srnsed the feeling
of the public. the victim of augmented and
outrageous profits, that every phase Of an
thracite productiOn--wages. supplies sales
corporations and sales agencies. royalties,
railroad transportation; anything In fact.
that may add TO the cost Of ton Of coal
should be investigated.
Mr.. Warrncr and his fellow operators
propose that separate commission of five
be appointed for the anthracite region. and
that this commission be composed Of one
member representing the operators, one the
miners and not less than three to be ap-
pointed as representatives Of the public.
AS emphasizing the assertion that the So
called acceptance of the anthracite opera
tors is an evasion TO the public Of the most
important feature Of President Hnrding's
arbitration proposition, 1t is only necessary
to reproduce the closing paragraphs from
their reply:
II Is our understanding that the com.
mission shall be empowered and directed
not only to determine temporary wages
and working conditions. but shall also be
empowered and directed to devise a method
by which periodical disturbances may be
avoided and BY which wages and working
conditions may be automatically adjusted
by negotiation, II possible. and. II not. by
such machinery as the commission shall
set up; and that its decisions in this regard
shall be binding on both parties.
We agree TO abide without reservation
or qualification by the findings Of COM
mission SC to be appointed and empowered.
IN other words, the above statement de.
! Clares TINT. II the President Will appoint a
separate anthracite commission, consisting
, Of FIVE men, who will investigate the oues-
| ton Of wages and working conditions and
| nothing else, then the operators will ''abjde
without reservations or qualifications by the
| findings Of a commission 80 to be appointed
| and empowered.'
The fact is that the anthracite operat tors
do not want an investigation of every
phase OF the coal industry, every cost OF
production and transportation, as the
| President sets forth.
A searchlght inquiry would be disastrous
to the profits OF the Anthracite Trust. Its
members would be under the necessity of
explaining why with every commodity tina,
enters into the economy Of everyday life re-
duced In price, anthracite Is maintained
at wartime figures.
They would be compelled TO reveal the
secrets of selling agencies, composed of the
producing companies, and railroad fregh
rates so high that it has been profitable t,
mine coal virtually at cost and make tn,
profit on transportation, with other systems
Of extortion.
A commission so empowered is what th
anthracite combination fears above al
Things