Evening star., 1922-09-29
FEARS RENEWAL
Of COAL STRIKE
Senator Pepper Says Agency
to Mako Permanent
Peace Is Need.

Peace has been restored tn tho co.,
INDUSTRY only temporarily, and the
people must expect repeated strikes
win their consequent national suf
ter1ne unless some authoritative
agency brings both the operator and
.ne lnlPer to a sensible understand
lns' IN the opinion Of United States
senator George Wharton .Pepner Of
ehhssiVania, who played an i'm
portant part in the settlement of the
latest anthracite strike.
Senator Pepper. in an articl. an
pearing IN the current issue of the
Ssson husiness, a magazine pub
s>Hhed under the auspices Of tho
Chamber of Commerce Of the United
states' places considerable Importance
on the coal commission to be an
pointed by President Harding. It is
10 be the task Of this commission
70 orlrg employer and employe in the
mines to satisfactory and perma
nent agreement
Busfness Of the People.
"A threatened famine" writes Sem
ator Pepper, 'ieads to the discovery
that the coal business is the business
OF tne people. Instantly there is talk
OF government seizure, of comnulsory
arbitration, of naturalization Of
mines and such like. AS soon, how
ever. as plenty replaces famine the
citizen again buys his customary sun
ply. curses at the price and proceeds
70 dismiss the entire subject from
his mind
Now that a settlement of the coal
strike has been effected, we brea the
sigh of relief. But we shall have
me. me same thing over again unless
a
puollc opinion respecting the tremen-
dous industrial problems.
we nave been witnessing, we shall
continue to witness. a fierce contro-
versy between two groups of ex-
iaeK tse1nen ~ oap apte fellow citizens whose
as alarming as it is deep-seated. The
operators think they have reason to
d1strust the unions. The unions are
sure. that history justifes their dis
trust OF the operators.
FactnE OF the Facts,
Fairness requires US to face the
Iacts-not squint at some of them
one fact is that, wherever multitudes
or workers are employed by relative
ly few employers, the union is hotb
necessary and desirable Attempts
to crush unionism are both foolish
and wicked. Another fact is that in
me long run the employe cannot be
inoie prosperous than his employer
union which shuts its eyes to the
actual conditions prevailing in the in
dustry and attempts an adjustment
based upon an industrial fiction is a
union that is grievously misled,"
everything depends upon the per-
sonnet OF the coal commission to he
appointed by the President. Senator
Pepper continues. While its mem
oers must be thorough business men
ne says far more important will he
their ability to identify themselves
with the best interests of both
parties. '"
They must keep steadfastly in
mlnf the ideal of an abundant life
1or the mine worker as well as fair
profit margin to the producer and a
reasonable price to the consumer ,,
the writer declared.
If the commission sets out with 1,
consciousness of the fact that The
operator is endeavoring to keen dow
ianor costs while the laborer is ever
trying to open the employers purse
WIDER, Senator Pepper believes it viii
meet with success. 1t must, however
locus public attention on controversies 20
likely to lead to rupture.
III may even be necessary To nro.
vide by law that in case q strike in
an essential industry lasts more Tho -
specihed time" he concluded. the
issue shall be submitted to the peonie
at special election"