The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-05-05
Industrial Code for Coal Industry
BY FREDERIC j. HAskil

WASHINGTON, D. c.. May 5.-An
Industrial code to govern all relations
between coal operators and miners,
and all adjustments of those relations,
may be the basis of the settlement OF
the controversy that has threatened
the fuel supply of the country since
April /. Such a code is the distinct
i've feature of the Kenyon Bill, now
pending in the Senate, which was the
last contribution of the former Sena-
tor from Iowa toward the solution of
strike problems.
Senator Kenyon introduced this bill
in February shortly after the commit
tee of which he was chairman had
concluded its investigation of the
West Virginia coal troubles. Senator
/ Borah, of Idaho, succeeded the Iowan
as the head of the committee that con-
siders labor legislation, and it is I'M
derstood that he is preparing to expe-
| dite action on the Kenyon Bill, or on
some similar measure which will en-
body its essential provisions. 1t is al
so stated that President Harding is
favorably disposed toward the bill,
but of course no one is authorized to
speak for the White House in such
matters and as yet the President has
gone no further than to express his
approval of the general industrial
code idea in one of his messages to
Congress.
/ The idea back of the proposed code
is that there are certain fundamental
principles which should be the bases
of all agreements between the oper
ators and miners as to wage and
/ working conditions and also govern
all settlements of disputes in the coal
industry which cannot be adjusted by
agreement between the parties direct
lily in interest. At the same time, i
is argued, these basic principles, i
applied, will safeguard the interest:
of the public which is indirectly bu
vitality concerned in every clash be
tween the mine workers and the op
orators.
In fact, a code Of this character ma,
be looked upon as bill of rights 10
those who participate directly in tn
coal industry and for the public which
the industry serves. The rights which
it defines may be 1ikened to the con
J stitutional guarantees of freedom
person, freedom of speech, freedom 0
assembly, ct cetera.
Precedent in Railroad Law
Precedent for establishing such
code in the coal industry is found i
the Transportation Act Of 1920 unde
. . which the railroads were returned t
: private operation. The labor provis
: ions of that Act, after creating tn
Railroad Labor Board and defining 1t
powers and duties, laid down certai
rules or principles which should b
taken into consideration by the Boar
in fixing wages for railroad employ
ees. That is to say, the Board shout
fix wages that were just and reason
: able and in deciding what are "jus
and reasonable" wages should col
, slider ID the scale of wages paid fo
!. similar work in other industries, e
!. the ration between wages and tn
cost of living, CD the hazards Of tn
: work done, (4) the training and ski
: required, go the responsibility res
Z ing upon the workers, 60 the chara
: ter and regularity of employment, an
: CD any inequalities resulting frol
previous wage adjustments.
: In its decision in the Nations
: Agreement Case, the second big CO,
troversy brought before it, the RAJ