Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-19
Sweeping Probe Of Coal Industry and More
Power for Congress in Coping With Labor
Troubles Asked By Harding in His Message

were on hand, mined at wages higher
than those paid during the war. There
was only the buying impelled by neces.
sity, and there was a belief that GOA
must yield to the postwar readjust-
ment. When the stocks on hand begar
to reach such diminution as to menace
industry and hinder transportation, ap-
p~roximately June /, overtures were
initiated by the government in the hope
of expediting settlement. None OF
these ayailed. Individual and district
tenders of settlement on the part OF
operators-in some instances appeals
for settlem ent-were wholly unavail-
ing. The dominant group among the
operators were insistent on having dis.
trict agreements: the dominant mine
| workers were demanding a nation
, wide settlement. The government be-
ing without authority to enforce
strike settlement in the coal industry
could only volunteer its good offices in
| finding a way Of adjustment.
Accordingly a conference of the
coal operators associations and the
general and district officials of the
United Mine Workers was called to
meet in Washington on July 1. Tire
designation of representation was left
to the officials of the various organi-
cations and theer was nation wide rep.
resentation except from the non-union
fields of the country. Before the joint
meeting l expressed the deep concern
I, Of the country and invited them to
meet at a conference table and end the
disputes between them. The conference
did not develop even a hope. The ope-
rators were asking for their district
or territorial conferences: the work
Iers demanded national settlement on
old basis.
"Invitation" a Failure
"Appraising correctly the hopeless
ness of the situation, u again invited
both operators and workers to meet
with me and rendered a means of set
Element so justly inspired that it was
difficult to see how In n believing
in industrial peace and justice to all
concerned could reject it. In substance,
il 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 Mt the time the strike began.
In turn, the government was to create
at once a coal commission or two of
them. if preferred by all parties to
the dispute, so that one could deal
with the bituminous situation. the
other with the problems in the a%nthra-
cite field. Among the commissioners
were to be representatives of the ope-
rators, representatives, Of the mine
workers. and outstanding. disinterest-
ed. and able representatives of the
American public. The commission was
to be instructed to direct its first in
quiry to the rate Of wage to be paid
for the period ending next April / and
then to enter upon a fact finding in
quiry into every phase of the indus
try and point the way to avoid future
suspensions in production. The dis
putants all Endorsed the suggestion Of
a fact-finding commission. The anthra-
cite operators promptly accepted the
entire proposal. The mine workers re-
fused to resume work under the arbi-
tration plan. The majority of the
bituminous operators filed an accept
ance. but a small minority declined the
proposal.
Under the circumstances. having no
authority to demand compliance, the
government had no other course than
to invite a resumption of the produc-
ton under the rights of all parties to
IL tohtIoSCiS s Win duSc VI Sof-
eminent protection of each and every
one in his lawful pursuits. This fact
was communicated with the governors
Of all coal producing states, and with
two exceptions assurances Of main
tanned law and order were promptly
given. In some instances concrete
proof of effective readiness to protect
all men, strikers and non-striking
workmen alike, was promptly given.
Blu little or no new production fol
lowed. The simple but significant
truth was revealed that, except for
such coal as comes from the districts
country is at the mercy of the United
Mine Workers.
Governors in various states rep
resented that their operators and
miners had no dispute and were eager
to resume production. District lead
ers informed me that their workmen
were anxious to return to their jobs.
but that they were not permitted to
do so. Hundreds of wives of work
men have addressed the White House
beseeching a settlement, alleging that
they knew no grievance, and there is
an amending story of appeals for re-
lief where necessity or suffering were
impelling. where a mere expression OF
need ought TO find ready compliance.
System Called Defective
"At every stage, the government has
been just and neutral regarding wage
scales and working contracts. There
are fundamental evils in our present
system Of production and distribution
which makes the wage problem diff
ficult. In the bituminous coal fields
are vastly more mines than are
requisite to the country's needs and
there are 100000 more mine workers
than are needed to produce in con
tinuous employment the country's nor
NAL requirements. BY continuous
employment, / meal approximately
$50 working days in the year. In
many instances last year men were
employed less than 80 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 barest
living. Interrupted transportation.
sorely broken employment, the failure
n dovolop Storapp AGAINST enlarged