Evening star., 1922-07-23

operators, are perennlal-adQlnS To
the discomfort and burden of the peo-
the general welfare and prosperity
by their indirect and direct effects
upon the industries of the country.
The American people are long
suffering, but they will not always
tolerate this condition of affairs. Sc.
ciety has the right and is under the
obligation, to say nothing of the I'M
pending necessity, to protect itself
and to this end so-called private and
vested rights must and will have to
give way in a measure and be sub
ordlnated to the public good.
Regulation Of Coal Mines.
We have already subordinated the
railroads to the public welfare by
subjecting them to regulation and by
taking from them the power to f1x
their own rates and charges and linn
iting their earnings to per cent on
their present value. Congress has
even gone SO far. with the sanction OF
the Supreme Court. as to regulate the
renting of private property In the
District of Columbia, on the ground
that 1t was a valid exercise OF the
police power in the interest Of the
public welfare under the existing
conditions in the District.
Tho matter of our coal supply ano
of its cost to the consumers Is OF 1aL
more Importance to the genera aHu ~
tho national welfares. in peace and IN
war, than Is the matter of rents N
the District. II legislation regulating
the railroads and the renting or pri.
yate property is constitutional ano
justified by the necessities OF the re-. >.
spective situations. surely there u
greater warrant and justification foi
iaeislation respecting coal and coal
mining. That this industry may DC
regulated in the interest Of the pup.
lie and the extortions and abuses
therein ended. 1 would suggest the
following legislation by Congress
omitting necessarily the details ano
all discussion Of tho legal questionS
involved:
Proposed Act Of Congress.
An act by the Congress creating
board or commission of the character
mentioned for the Industries affected
with a national public interest ano
authorizing 1t to take over all the
coal mining properties in the countr.
in the name of the government ane
operate them by their agents, unoel
their supervision and control; the saie
board. to have the power to FIX the
wages Of the miners and the terms
and conditions under which they arr
to work in the several coal fields. anc
tho prices at which coal shall be sole
to the public: and guaranteeing :.
tho so.called owners OF these prope.
ties q fair return on the properties II
the way Of q royalty or percentaet
on the total annual production an.
sales. which would be in the form o.
an adequate compensation to the mine
owners for the taking over and SUP
ordination Of their property to PUBIC
uses and necessities.
The foregoing is merely by way o.
sue1esting some remedies for prop
lens that are growing in gravit3
from year to year. and which If no'
solved will eventually wreck our IN.
stitutions and destroy our social ordef
The necessities of the solution arr
equal to II not greater than tnt
magnitude Of the problem. The dim.
culties of working out the details o.
the proposed legislation are not mini.
mixed. but It is believed they arr
cauabie of practical solution within
constitutional limits and fairness t
all interests concerned II taken up II
q non partisan spirit and determination
to work them out for the creates
good to the greatest number. They
are at least worthy. Of the enort
which should no longer be postponed
ALEXANDER SIDNEY LANIER.