The Washington herald., 1922-08-21
Officials Confident Ten
Days Will Settle
Both Strikes.
MESSAGE HELPED,
PRESIDENT FEELS
Congress Shows Opposi-
tion to Federal Coal
Purchasing Agency.

Administration officials yesterday
were more optimistic than they have
been for many days that peace is
at hand i'm the Industrial situation.
The President and his advisers are
convinced that this week will see
the coal mines reopened and pro-
duction resumed on a bsis approx
mating normal with a general re-
opening of the mines by hext week
at the latest.
They also firmly believe that the
mediation conference between the
leaders Of the railroad brotherhood
organizations and the railway exec
utives in New York will result in
settlement of the nationwide shop
mems strike within a few days.
Sees struggle Averted.
The President himself. his friends
say. is most expectant that the dawn
Of peace is at hand and that il will
not be necessary to make the struE
gle for supremacy between the gov
ernment on one hand and organized
labor and organized capital ON the
other.
The President realizes that his
message 10 Congress Friday meant
nothing IL IL did not mean that the
time has come in this industrial crisis
for a showdown on the ability 81
the government to prevent deliberate
defiance Of its laws. He was pre-
pared for the struggle, but hoped
that il would not be necessary and
that the railroad executives and en-
ployes would compose their differ
ences.
His associates declare the President
now feels that his message has had
the effect of bringing both sides in
| the railroad controversy into a con-
ciliatory spirit which viii lead to
an end Of the strike. He feels this
despite the declaration Of Samuel
Gompers. president Of the American
! Federation Of Labor. that the Pres
/ ident's message was ''unfortuna te'
and served to restrain rather than
encourage an end 10 the railroad
strike.
Oppose Coal Purchasing.
In Congress. Republican leaders are
preparing 10 grant some Of the RENE
dial legislation asked by the Pres
ident 10 relieve conditions resulting
from the coal strike. but there is
growing opposition to his request for
the creation OF Federal coal pur-
chasing agency. In some quarters
II was stated yesterday that tho
| Presidents own declaration for more
business in government and less gov
ernment in business" would be the
chief obstacle in the way Of enact
! nf Fl .
ences of the government during the
war in attempting to control bust
ness conditions by organizations of
that character are generally regarded
as unfortunate and there are many
who do not believe the emergency
in this situation is great enough 10
warrant a repetition of the expert
ment.
Favor Commission Plan.
There is no doubt that Coneres
viii soon act favorably on the Pres
ident's recommendation for lerisla-
ion giving him authority to appoint
a commission to study the problems
OF the coal industry. The Bland bill
creating a coal commission WAS re-
ported from the House Committee on
Labor several weeks ago and is on
the House calendar.
Due TO the effects Of the coal strike
In the United States. coal shipments
from the Nova Scotia mines TO Mon
tresl hive increased substantially. G
cordinG 10 the Department Of Com
merce.
"Since the coal shortage bocatn.
acute in New England. nunlerous
shipments from the Nova Scotia
mines, via Montreal, have been uofed. %
II was stated.