The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-19

accepted the entire proposal. The | mine workers refused to resume work
 under the arbitration plan. The ma- l torfty of the bituminous operators filed an acceptance, but considerable
 minority declined the proposal.
 | Under these circumstances, having no authority to demand compliance, | the Government had no other course | than to invite resumption of pro- auction under the rights of all par | ties to the controversy, with assur- | ance of Government protection of
 each and every one in his lawful pur- suits.
 1 Governors Were Informed. l This fact was communicated to the | Governors of all the coal producing States. and with two exceptions assur- ances of maintained law and order
 stances concrete proof of effective
 readiness to protest all men, strikers
 and non-striking workmen alike, was
 promptly given. But little or no new
 production followed. The simple but
 significant truth was revealed that except for such coal as comes from the districts worked by non organized miners the country is at the mercy of
 the United Mine Workers.
 Governors in various States report ed that their operators and miners had TO dispute and were eager to re-
 sume production. District leaders in formed me that their workmen were
 anxious to return to their jobs, but that they were not permitted to do
 sc. Hundreds of wives of workmen
 have addressed the White House, be- seeching settlement, alleging that they know no grievance, and there is an amending story of appeals for re-
 lief where necessity or suffering were 1mpellIng, where mere expression of need ought to find ready compliance
 At every stage the Government has been just neutral regarding wage scales and working contracts There are fundamental evils in our present system of producing and distribution which make the wage problem diffi- cult. In the bituminous coal fields are vastly more mines than are re- quIstte to the country's needs and there are 100000 more mine workers than are needed to produce in con-
 t1nuous employment the country's
 normal requirements.
 By continuous employment I mean
 approximately 2S0 working days in
 the year. In many instances last
 year men were employed less than 15O
 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 the barest living. Interrupted
 transp ortation sorelv broken emnlov-
 ment, the failure to develop stora ge against enlarged demands and made 1 quate carrying all these present
 problems bearing On righteous wage
 adjustment and demand constructive
 solution.
 Asks for Commission.
 Because Of these things, because or | the impression Of many cases of un-
 justiflable profits in the industry. and because public interest demands fn- Vestigation. and demands the finding
 or facts be given to the public, I am
 asking at your hands the auth or1ty rv create commission to make a
 searching investigation into the whole
 coal industry, with provision for it's , lawful activities and the bestowal of authority to reveal every phase of : coal production, sale and d:strfbu-
 ton. 1 am speaking now on behalf . of mine workers. mine operators and 2 the American public. It VIII bring ? protection to all and point the way to continuity of production and the . better economic functioning of the industry in the future.
 The necessity for such a searching national Investigation with conStruc.
 tive recommendation is imperative A
 the moment the coal skies are clear
 ing, but unless we find cure for tht economic ills, which affect the in. dustry and therein find a basis fo1
 righteous relationship, we shall bt . faced with like menancing situation on next April 1st on the expiration O the wage contracts which are nov T being made.
 The need for such investigation an, Q independent consideration is reveale, . by both operators and mine worker s in the provision in the Clevelan, n agreement so recently made. The gov V ernment will gladly cooperate witt e the industry in this program so ia l 1S IL IS lIle puDllC interest so to QC d but I have an unalterable conviction
 that no lasting satisfaction or wort = while results will ensue unless w e may have a government commission e independent of the industry, clothe l. with authority by the Congress t e search deeply, so that it may advis
 as to fair wages and as to condition o of labor and recommend the en ,r actment of laws to protect the publi -- in the future. d The almost total exhaustion c n, stocks of coal. the crippled conditio le of the railways, the distressed situa
 on that has arisen and might groy 70 Norse in our great cities due to tn S, shortage of anthracite, the sufferin rs which might arise in the Northwes le through failure to meet winter need D. by lake transportation. all these ad l. to the possibility of outrageous pric to demands, in spite of the most zealou le voluntary efforts of the governmer n to restrain them, make 1t necessar y to ask you to consider at once som Id form of temporary control of distr S button and prices.
 l. Sought to Check Coal Gouging. The administration earnestly ha
 sought to restrain profiteering and ly secure the rightful distribution of sue