Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-07-01
GOVERNMENT
URGESPEACE
IN COALPITS
Presidents Tells Both Sides
Nation VIII Act If They
Fail
INTERESTS OF ALL
TO BE PROTECTED
CONTINUED from First Page-)

Continued from First Page.)
specific authority under which to
admonish you. but I do have the
right 10 invite your immediate at
tention to a situation which deeply
concerns the country. the solution
OF which you owe to the American
people.
you who are here today represent
a large sponsorship for Americas
supply of fuel In that sponsorship
you have an indissoluble relationship
TO the commonwealth of America.
Coal is indispensable to our life as
people. and since this country has
afforded you the opportunity of de-
velopment on your part, both as
workers and operators. you have
created in turn. an obligation to
serve. Conflicting views as to your
policies and your obligations to one
another in no wise modify your obh-
cations TO that public which made
possible your Industrial existence.
Because OF expiring agreements
relating to wage scales and working
conditions, a large percentage of
have been suspended three months
TO a day. II is not for me to touch
upon the merits of your opposing
positions l have not called you as
a partisan OF the mine worker or the
employer I do not mean even to
discuss a single phase of controverted
questions. The main point is to
bring you together in that contact
OF men TO men mindful of the
necessity OF righteousness in any
useful and abiding relationship to
have you frankly and fairly consider
your problems in their relation to
the welfare of our common country.
1T is pretty generally recognized
that there are fundamental difficult
ties in present day coal production,
the solution OF which is not TO be
found in an hour or a day OF most
friendly and earnest conference, The
excess development of a producing
capacity in both tonnage available,
and miners to work il. has presented
one situation demanding solution or
there will be inevitable loss OF prop
erty interests and a train of I'M
profitable employment. The war
upheaval and all attending mutations |
and excess productions have left an I
inevitable and unavoidable liquida-
ton.
The intermittence- in employment !
has made ii impossible for mine
workers, who are employed only /
partial time. to pursue their trade (
at wage rates adjusted to other en-
,for-r,opf No frd,,ct,-.r q. go,,,1f,.
based. no American activity can be
held secure where employment is
compensated on base OF half-time
or two-thlrds OF the normal. natural
work period OF an American wage
Garner. There has been instability OF
production attended by n failure OF
delivery capacity, which has had its
reflex in speculative prices and pam
icky conditions which encouraged
profteering and mepaced our indus
tries and hampered our varied pub
lie services.
Labor has the right, capital has
the right, and. above all else. the
American public has the right to be
freed from these recurring anxieties
no matter what the causes are. That
freedom must ne eSldDlfhtu.
The government has no desire to
intrude itself into the field OF your
activities. 1t does feel an obligation
10 see that the common American in
. terest shall not be menac d by pro-
traoted lack OF fuel. It prefers that
the two great and associated inter-
ests-mine workers and employers
should settle this matter in a frank
recognition Of the mutually OF your
interests If you can not do that,
then the larger public interest must
be asserted in the name OF the peo-
pie where the common good is the
first and highest concern.
4 have said that the fundamental
problems probably cannot be solved
in a hurried conference. But this Il,
conference might well devise the
agency for effectlng solution. This q
is the purpose OF calling you to- J
gether, the beginning OF the solu- I
ton. Meanwhile operations ought :
to be resumed. With diminishing ,
fuel supplies. with menacing short ,
ages as we turn to winters Apr zach. =
with unemployment visiting its hard )
ships upon idle mine workers. and !
with vast ownership without return Il
on investment it would seem to be I
the simplest commonsense TO find :
acceptable ground on which to re- O.
sumo activities with commitment to n