The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-08-25
PRESIDENT PUTS
CURRENT ISSUES
BEFORE SOLONs
Asserts Determination to Keep
Transportation Moving.
ASKS NATIONAL COAL AGENCY

UphoIds Right of Men to Work and
Asserts Purpose to Use Every Pow
er of Government to Have
Laws Upheld.
Washington, Aug. 19.-President
Harding announced TO congress and
the country that his administration.
having exhausted every means for
settlement of the rail and coal strikes,
now was resolved ito use all the DOW
er OF the government to maintain
transportation and sustain the right of
men to work"
Absent Members Called.
kilograms to absent members of the
house interstate commerce committee
to return at once to Washington to be-
gin work on bills recommended by the
President for creation of coal agency
and a fact-fnding commission for the
coal industry, were sent out by Repre-
sentative Mondell, the Republican lead
er,eafter the Presidents address. Lead
ers plan to have these measures taken
up early next week and made ready for
speedy passage.
Accounting for his course during the
recent trouble in an address to the SEN
ate and house, the President said he
did not propose to ask for any "hasty
action" by congress in the railroad
strike, but that authority should be
given to set up commission to make
a sweeping Investigation into the coal
industry ito reveal every phase of coal
production, sale and distribution"
AS another measure In the coal stu
alton the President asked for the Gre
alton Of a temporary national coal
agency to purchase, sell and distribute
coal in interstate shipment as an "in-
strumentality of guarding the public
interest where private conscience is in
sensible to public need"
Condemns Herrin Crime.
Groups who take the law into their
own hands, the President said, and at
tempt to control for their own purposes
the resources Of the whole people can
only be regarded as perils to public
safety. He said neither employers nor
employees could entirely escape re-
sponsibility for the present industrial
situation, but he condemned in par
ticular the shocking crime at Herrin,
H."
The President said the government
Woo halplacc to intorrono hut on tho
allegation that two aliens were among
the killed, and in view of the absence
of all provision in federal law under
which the federal government can pro-
tect aliens in their treaty rights he
now asks congress to pass law I'M
der which the government can take
hold in cases such as that of Herrin.
Country at Unions Mercy.
The President likewise committed
himself to the assertion that the Unit
ed Mine Workers organization now
has the whole country "at its mercy"
With special reference to the Herrin
massacre, the President said:
"My renewal of this oft-made recon-
mendatiOn is impelled by a pitiable
sense of federal impotence to deal with
the shocking crime at Herrin, ILL.,,
which so recently shamed and Mortified
the country. In that butchery of hui
man beings, wrought In madness. 1t is
alleged that two aliens were murdered.
This act adds to the outraged sense
of American justice the humiliation
which lies in the federal governments
confessed lack of authority to punish
that unutterable crime.
Had it happened In any other land
than our own, and the wrath of right
eous Justice were not effectively ex-
pressed, we should have pitied the civ
ilization that would tolerate it and
sorrow for the government unwilling
or unable to mete out just punishment.
at is deplorable that there are or
can be American communities where
even there are citizens, not to speak
Of public officials, who believe mob
warfare is admissible to cure any stu
ation.''
In summing up the situation, the
President said:
"It is manifestly my duty to bring
to your attention the industrial situa-
ton which confronts the country. The
situation growing out of the prevail
ing railway and coal mining strikes Is
so serious, so menacing to the nations
welfare, that should be remiss IL |
failed frankly to lay the matter be-
fore you, and at the same time ac-
quaint you and the whole people. with
such efforts as the executive branch
of the government has made by the
voluntary exercise of it's good Offices
to effect a settlement.
at is not my thought to ask con-
gress to deal with these fundamental
problems at this time. No hasty ac-
ton would contribute to the solution
of the present critical situation. There
is existing law by which to settle the
prevailing disputes. There are statutes
forbidding conspiracy to hinder liter
state commerce. There are laws to
assure the highest possible safety in
railway service. 1t is my purpose to
invoke these laws, civil and criminal,
against ,all offenders alike"
Though he pronounced as made
quate the law creating the railway la
Dor board, Mr.. Harding said mo per-
lection of it by congress at this mo-
ment could be helpful in the present
MAKING His Head Save His Feet.