, 1922-08-18
TEXT OF


Continued from Pare Onei
tnsistent or having district agree
ments; h dominant mine workers
were demanding a nationwide settle
ment Tho government being wfthou;
authority 20 enforce n strike settle
ment IN the coa1 industry. could only
volunteer It's good offices IN finding a
way of adjustment.
Accordingly q conference OF the coal
operators' Associations and the general
n district officials OF thu United
sdns Workers was called to meet
In Washington on July /. The destg'
nation of representation was left to
the officials OF the various organiza-
tIcn., and there was nationwide rep
r,sentation, exoept from h non
union fields OF the country. Before
tbs Joint meeting 1 expressed the deep
concern of the country and invited
them to meet at n conferences liable
and end the disputes between them
The conferences did not develop even
n hope The operators were asking
for their district or territorial confer
encs; the workers demanded national
settlement on old basis.
PART THREE.
Appraising correctly the hopeless
MSS Of the situation. I again invited
both operators and workers TO meat
with me and rendered n means OF set
Element 80 justly inspired thst It was
difficult 20 sec how any one believing
IN Industrial peace and justice to all
concerned could reject It. In sub
stance, II called on the operators to
open their mines. on the mine workers
to resume work At the same pay and
under the same working conditions as
prevailed at the time the strike be
gan. In turn. n governmca: was to
create at once n o Commission. or
two of them, IL preferred by all par
ties TO the dispute. so that n could
deal with the bituminous, situation.
the other with the problems In the
anthracite field. Among tho commits
stoners were 10 be representatives OF
the operators. representative OF the
mine workers. and outstanding. disin-
terected. and able representatives OF
the Ame=,can public. The commission
was TO 10 INSTRUCTED TO direct its first
inquiry to tho rate of wage TO be paid
for the period ending next April 1 and
then to enter upon n fact finding in
quiry into every phase Of h indus.
Try and point the way to void future
suspensions IN production. The dis
~putants all Endorsed h suggestion
Of 8 fact finding commission The an
thractte operators promptly accepted
the entire proposal. The mine work
ers refused TO resume work under the
arbtration plan. The majority OF the
bituminous operators filed an accept
1nceb but a considerable minority de-
oiined the proposal.
PART FOUR.
Under these circumstances, having
no authority TO demand compliance
the government had no other course
THAI TO Invite a resumption OF pro-
ductien under the rights OF all parties
to h controversy with assurance OF
government protection of each and
every one in his lawful pursuits. This
fact was communicated with the gov
ernors OF all coal producing states.
and with two exceptions assurances OF
promptly given. In some instances
concrete proof OF effective readiness
to protect all men, strikers and non-
striking workmen alike, a promptly
given. But little or no new produc-
ton followed. The simple but signifi-
can't truth was revealed that except
y cuCk SOoA as CoAiN1 LULU LAAc dAh
trtcts WORKED by non-organized min
ers. the country Is at the mercy Of the
United Mine Workers.
Governors IN various states reported
that their operators and miners had
no dispute n were eager to resume
production. District leaders informed
me that their workmen were anxious
TO return TO their Jobs, but that they
1erA rnf nArnnfAfni en- Hn M Hun.
dreds OF wives OF workmen have ad.
dressed the White House. beseeching
a settlement, alleging hat they knew
no grievance. and there Is an unend-
ing story of appeals for relief where
necessity or suffering were impelline.
where n mere expression of need
ought to find ready compliance.
PART FIVE.
At every stage. h government has
been just and neutral regarding wage
scales and working contracts. here
are fundamental evils in our present
system OF production and distribution
which make the wage problem diff.
cult In the bituminous coa fields
are vastly more mines than are requi-
ate to the oountry's need and there
are zoe. 900 more mine workers than
are needed to produce in continuous
employment the country's normal re
Quirements. By continuous employ
ment. 7 mean approximately $50 work
Ing days in the year. In many in
stances last year men were employed
less han $50 days. in some cases much
fewer than that. In the over-manned
sections men divide the working time.
and high wages are necessary TO meet
the cost of berest living. interrupted
transportation. sorely broke employ
ment. the failure to duplicate storage
against enlarged demands. and made
quate carrying-el these present prob
lens bearing on righteous wage ad-
3ustment. and demand constructive So
luton.
Because Of these things. because of
the impression Of many cases of I'M
tustifiable profits IN the industry. and
because public interest demands inves-
ugation and demands the finding OF
facts be given D the public, I am
asking at your hands the authority to
create a commission to make a search
ing investigation into the whole coal