Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-28
Irnorin. Congressional Intent

I LEGISLATION enacted by Congress pro-
l. yidng for Il fact finding coal commits
sion 10 investigate every phase of the in
dustry and report it's findings and conclu-
sons as To steps necessary to be taken to
place the industry ON an efficiency basis
with tine aScorained rights OF the public
the miners and the operators fully pro-
tcctcd. leaves the President free to choose
such commissioners as he deems best fitted
tc make the investigation without regard
20 any connection they may have with tho
Cual business. Tho House hill provided for
commission made MP Of representatives Of
the public, the miners and the operatives
but the Senate bill omitted this provision,
and this feature was retained in the bill as
i, came from the conference and was en-
acted.
Presumably the free choice given the
President i'll respect to naming the commits
sionorS was Influenced by the lessons gained
from the divided decisions OF the mixed
membership OF the Labor Board in which
the representatives of conflicting interests
voted in support OF the contentious of their
respective sides. with the result that the
findings OF the board were dcfied by the los
ing interest as evidenced by the recent rail
strike
When the creation of a coal commits
sion WAS under discussion before any con
srcssiOnal action had been taken the iut-
preston was created that the President ia
Vored a commission made up Of members
entirely disconnected from any interest
concerned in the industry Hut if his at
tiludc was correctly reported AT the time
apparently he has undergone a change of
mind with respect To the constitution of
its membership. Announcement is made
from Washington that the President intends
at once to send letters to the National Coal
in bo mil NJ
Workers OF America asking each TO submit
list Of names of persons qualified TO serve
on the coal commission. This clearly indi-
Gates IA purpose to name representatives OF
both OF these organizations on the commits
sion, thus defeating the congressional in
tent To have the inquiry conducted cxclu-
sively by qualified representatives of the
public whose conclusions would he without
bias for or against any interest concerned
in the industry.
The miners representatives have not
made known their views, on The subject but
A. NJ. Oge, president OF the National Coal
Operators Association. has expressed him
self in favor OF a commission without coal
representation. The same attitude has been
taken by leading newspapers and various
disintercstcd organizations throughout the
country. Past experience with mixed COM
missions supports the objection that rep
IcScntativcs OF the miners and operators on
the commission are not, in fact. invcstiga-
tors at all. but advocates OF their respcc-
tive organizations; who are. by force OF
circumstances, more interested in tho tri-
umph of their principals than in arriving
at a solution Of the problem that will be
OF general benefit. The value OF the COM
missions findings will be discounted from
the outset, if the President pursucs his
intention OF ignoring the congressional in
tent ana names miners and operators rep
r"s"ntativ,S on il.