The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-09-13
Saws Periodic War of Men and
Owners Is Symptom
of Disease.
PUBLIC'S RIGHT SUPERIOR
Secretary Urges Creation of
National Coal Commission
as First Step.

The superior rights of the public in
the coal squabbles and the imperative
need of recognizing the bituminous
coal industry were dwelt on last night
by Secretary of Commerce Hoover at
the annual banquet of the Salesmen's
Association Of the American Chemical
Industry held at the Hotel Commodore.
Mr.. Hoover discussed the coal situa-
ton at length. and concluded:
"The public is now demanding re-
suits, but in six months the public will
he asleep. We are all sick and weary
of this periodic warfare and Of futile
attempts at solution. Something has
to be done with 4 strong right arm"
The creation OF the National Coal
Commission. he said. was the first step
in solving this most vital problem. He
divided the causes OF the trouble in two
those pertaining to industrial relations,
the employee-employer relationships and
the necessity for reorganization along
economic lines. He spoke Of the failure
OF collective bargaining and after men
tionlng the rights of either side. OF the
men to strike and OF employers 10 lock
out and maintain open shop. he said:
"Nu-one seriously denies any OF iacse
rights. but a lot of people are over
looking a superior right That Is the
right OF the public TO a continuous sup
ply OF its vital necessities ard services.
When these various rights infringe upon
the public right. taen the dominant
right Is public right"
Mr. Hoover gave figures as TO the
bltuminous coal production. showing
that the country's production is 3co,oO.-
900 beyond national needs, yet labor IS
unemployed much OF The time and opera
tors fluctuate between high profits and
bankruptcy. An economic solution was
possible. he asserted. without nationah-
cation and ''plunging the country INTO
Socialism" lie continued:
II recognize that stabllization OF the
industry. or anything that lends stahili-
" to the industry, Is opposed by a snail
minority OF speculative operators vic
use the periodically disturbed profile
ton TO reap n recurrent harvest II
would be opposed on the other side ~
some of the more narrow-mlnded labor
leaders who contend that their object
in all industry Is TO reduce the number
OF hours OF actual labor to some miner
fraction OF the whole year or whose
ambition lis 90 drive the nation 70 So
cialism in desperation for coal. or who
deny the public right 70 any voice
However. believe that the constructive
men on both sides are In full agreement
that we must have broader and better
solution than results from the truccs OF
the past few years"
Having asserted that the intermlt-
tence of the work in the mines was
primarily responsible for the incessant
quarreling and that the breaking down
Of collective bargaining. obviously OF
fundamental value. proved the need OF
complete reorganization with public par
ticipation, Mr. Hoover said:
These periodic wars are symptoms
of n disease. Before We treat this dis
ease we must have more accurate
diagnosis adequate. accurate infcrma-
ton from which to weigh the different
causes. From such an understanding
Continued on Page Two.