The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-30
CONGRESS TO
ACT AT ONCE
ON COAL BILL
Leaders Fear Attempt To
Amend To Give President
Power To Seize Mines and
Railroads.
AM NDMENTS READY
tBy Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, Aug 30.-Warned
of attempts to amend the administra-
tlon's coal distribution bill by adding
provisions already rejected, Republi
can leaders declared today it would be
passed before adjournment tonight
substantially as framed.
On the heels of the announcement
of Representative Johnson, Republi
can, South Dakota, and others that
they would endeavor to get through
an amendment giving the president
| authority to take over the railroads
and mines which failed in public serv-
| ice.
| Representative Anderson, Republi-
can, Minnesota, upset party plans by
making public the text of an amend
ment for creation of a federal coal
buying and selling agency. The lat
ter plan was first suggested by the
| president in his address to congress,
but in drafting the distribution bill
the interstate commerce committee
abandoned it, announcing at the same
| time that it had acted with presiden-
tial approval.
May Abandon Proposals
! Leaders said the Johnson and An
derson proposals would be thrown out
on points of order, as not germane to
the bill itself, and that both would be
defeated if put to a vote.
Announcement of the plan to add 4
federal operation clause to the coal
distribution bill came after it had been
made known at the White House yes
terday that the president still held
that such a grant of power was desir-
able in order to strengthen the ad-
ministration's hold in the industrial
situation, although at this time he
foresaw no such grim public neces-
sity as alone would move him to exer-
else this authority.
The president was said to believe
that the anthracite coal industry
shortly would be put on the same ba-
sis for rapid recovery in production
that the bituminous mines have
I reached and that the railroad situation
then would be left as the only serious
I problem.
To Enforce Old Laws
The present administration policy in
dealing with the latter was said to be
a strict enforcement of existing
laws guaranteeing safety of life and
property and maintenance of neces-
sary public service.
Rejecting that policy, Attorney Gen
eral Daugherty was completing plans
today for a special department of JUS
tice organization to investigate alleged
illegal stoppages. of transportation
service incident to the rail strike in
the west.
The organization will be centered at
Los Angeles in charge OF Hiram c.
Todd, who is resigning the office OF
at
New York to accept the special ap
pointment. In addition the attorney
general has instructed all federal dis
trict attorneys ito vigorously prose
cute" all violators of federal court in
functions granted to protect railroad
: operations and properties during the
strike.
Poor Equipment.
!, Government officials also are con
} fronted by condition of equipment
: maintenance by railroads which the in
5 terstate commerce commission reports
: shows "a very general letdown in the
t matter of inspection (of locomotives
. by carriers which gives cause for grave
! concern" Responding to a senate res
+ olution on the question the commission
3 said railroads were failing to make al
: the inspections required by law. o.
Y S,O65 locomotives on 162 roads inspect
+ ed by the commissions own staff O.
: inspectors, it was reported, 2,456 were
! found defective, although many of thu
) defects were of minor importance, anC
;. 169 unsafe to operate.
: Outstanding among other develop
q ments in the rail and coal situation
. was an order of the interstate com
: merce commission formally relaxin!
some of its priority control of coal dis
! tribution. Priority still will be giveI
= sections of the northwest requiring
{ rail shipments to supplement lax
movement of coal and railroads who's
fuel needs are pressing. Also, in sec
9 ond class, priority of shipment will b
{ granted to coal for public utilities AM
$ institutions, domestic and building
heating and common carriers, witt
5 several other classes of consumers.