Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-07-23
What Next?

ID RESIDENT HARDING has invited those
coal operators of the country whose
properties have been paralyzed by strike.
10 reopen their mines. guaranteeing at the
same time military protection for strike
breakers who are willing to dig coal upon
the operators terms. This was bold move
on the part of the government-,he boldest
move in any direction taken by the present
administration. II is no wonder that opera
tors and mine workers alike stood breath
less as they contemplated the full signif-
canoe and the possibilities of such policy
But Will this plan of action succeed? We
doubt 1t. II must inevitably fail unless coal
is produced. The only excuse for the resort
10 military protection for strike breakers
Is TO give the country an ample supply OF
coal: If no such supply is produced
whether the reason be car shortage or labor
shortage or both-the government Will have
FALLEN down in the execution of its pro-
gram. If the coal is forthcoming in album
dant measure. Mr.. Harding will have
smashed the strike
There is doubt of the success of the ad-
ministration's second enterprise first. be-
cause coal mining is highly technical
business ana ordinary floating" labor which
might be available cannot learn to dig
coal in considerable quantity for weeks or
be recruited from the ranks OF dissatisfied
strikers or from the outside to reopen a
iair percentage OF the mines, there is n
shortage of coal cars OF such serious char
acter as to make il next to impossibIe IN
move any great amount OF tonnage Non
union helds have been mining coal steadily
SINCE me strike began, and as long as the
car supply was ample these fields saved
lhe country from a fuel famine. Now there
are NOT enough cars available to keen the
nonunion fields working more than half of
their capacity.
Inc government must find means of set
iIlnS the Shopmen's strike OH the railroads
before any strike breaking on a large scale
IN The coal fields will result in coal being
Produced. The railroad, strike;.now only
ahoat three weeks old, has proven sufficient
~ serious 10 cripple freight movement on
more than half of the railroads of the coun-
trE' and the coal-carrying roads have been
even harder hit than the others
II the Harding course of repression by
iorce ana of military dictatorship" as sam
uel Gompers characterizes the new policy.
ia'!S 10 relleve the fuel shortage, one natur-
ally asks what next? The President NAV
seize the coal mines now idle, Washington
dispatches indicate. But seizure of coal
co'd Then. too, he may conscript mine
labor II Is added. That seems to be a re-
mote possibility, however. The exercise of
the draft in time OF peace might be an ex-
ceedingly dangerous thing
There Is one other alternative. There
might be "A complete surrender to the miners.
me operators probably cannot be forced to
capltulate, but if the government took over
their properties, 1t could yield 10 the de-
mands OF the men and, having put them bac
TO work on their terms, ii might hand the
mines back TO their owners with the new
scale III effect. This is what the government
did with the railroads
The government having launched upon
Inc sirike-breaking enterprise, it must see
me thMg through, most people will agree
ana 1t Will be interesting to follow the course
OF action which Mr.. Harding and his ad-
visers elect TO take.