Evening star., 1922-04-09
COAL STRIKE MAY BRING
REFORM IN THE INDUSTRY
Congress Inclined Toward Drastic Action
to Prevent Recurrence Of Disputes In
volving Hardships to the Public.

The public had a taste then of what
coal shortage in the United States
really means. There was great suf-
fering in some localities; industries
were affected as well as the house
holder.
Efforts in Congress for a~time were
directed toward some means of sta
bilizing the coal industry and curb
ing the profiteers. Senator Calder
of New York, Senator Frelinghuysen
of New Jersey, as well as former
close attention and were responsible
for bills offered and. in some cases.
reported to the Senate from standing
committees. But nothing came of
them.
Judge kenyon's latest bill, however.
was framed after the recent strife in
the West Virginia coal fields. A sub
committee, of which Kenyon was
chairman, visited the scene Of the
ditions. The bill. therefore, was in
tended to deal with the settlement
of disputes between the operators and
the workers.
COAL IS HELD TO BE
PUBLIC NECESSITY.
The bill provides for the creation of
a national coal mining board" The
duties of this board include the hear.
ing Of all disputes that may arise be-
tween the operators and the workers
"a inf
tions Of principles set forth in the
bill. Among the principles laid down
are: Coal is a public necessity and
in its production and distribution the
public interest is predominant; hu-
man standards should be the con-
influence in fixing the
wages and working conditions of
mine workers; capital prudently and
honestly invested in the coal industry
should have an adequate return: the
right OF operators and miners to Or
ganize is recognized and affirmed; the
right of operators and miners to bar
gain collectively is recognized and
affirmed: the right of non-union min
ers to work without being harried by
under sixteen years of age shall not
be employed in the mines; six days
shall be work week, and the standard
work day shall not exceed eight
hours a day.
As in the case of the Railroad Labor
Board,s the coal mining board. in its
would recognize the Three
interested groups-the miners, the
operators and the public. Three mem
bers are to be selected from each
group.
EMPLOYMENT
A BIG PROBLEM.
A feature of the situation, which is
recognized by the members of Con-
gress seeking to deal with the coal
problem is the lack of stability of
the industry, due to the seasonal de-
mands for coal, and the fuctuating
supply and demand. Ann industry
which at certain times works over
time and at others is at a standstill,
they say. is not well run. An in
dustry that gives its employees only
200 days of actual work during a |
year, or perhaps only 125 or $50 days;
that compels the operators to con-
tinue their overhead charges while
the work is at a standstill and allows
the deterioration of plant and tools
to continue while there is no output,
they say, requires attention.
Suggestions have been put forward
that freight rates on coal should be
lowered in certain seasons, notably
spring and summer. SO as to aid in
making more equable distribution
Of the work of mining and distribut-
Ing the coal. But so far nothing has
been done about it. The consumers
Of coal. as a. rule, buy their coal as
they need it. The need for it in fall
and winter is far greater than in
spring and summer.
1t does not appear unreasonable
that men would be more ready to ac-
cept a lower wage If they were per-
mitted to work regularly at coal min
ing, instead of having to depend upon
only $50 days a year in which to earn
their livelihood. The opinion is ex-
pressed on Capitol Hill that If the
wages are to go back to normal"
as the Saying goes, that something
must be done also to make the rum
ming of the coal industry more eff
cient.
PLAN TO ORGANIZE
UNITY OF INTERESTS.
During the administration of for
mer President Wilson two commits
sions were appointed to study the in
dustrial situation and to make rec
concentrations for the better han
ding Of Industrial disputes. The Sec
ond of these commissions was con-
vened by the President December 1.
1919. The report Of this commission
recognizes a growing insistence on
the part of the workers ito exert a
larger and more organic influence
upon the processes Of Industrial life"
This impulse, the commission found,
should not be discouraged, but made
helpful and cooperative. It contin-
ues: "The guiding thought of the
between employer and
employe can be best promoted by the
organization of that rela-
tionship. That organization should
begin within the plant itself It's OBJ
ject should be to organize unity of
interest and thus to diminish the
area of conflict and supply by or
ganizedz cooperation between en-
ployers and employees the advantages
of that human relationship that ex-
listed between them when industries
were small. Such organization should
provide for the joint action of man
ayers and employees in dealing with
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