Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-28
FEDERAL INTERVENTION
is NOW IN SIGHT
Jubilation In Coal Fields Indicates Belief
That the Strike Is Near End


l. light of joyous promise is shining.
The summoning of John l.. Lewis. president
of the United Mine Workers, to Washington
to confer with President Harding has been
followed by a mysterious message from
Lewis to the General Scales Committee in
Wilkes Barre which has turned the entire
anthracite regions into a series Of happy
celebrations. That message probably means
Federal intervention.
That Intervention ought to have taken
place last April when the strike began.
Nearly three months have been lost. and 1t
is now said that If the mines should resume
work at once the railroads would not be
able to carry the coal that will be needed
next winter. Every week of delay increases
the gravity of the situation.
The miners and the operators are in
different to the public needs. They will
pass on to the consumers all the costs in
volved IN any settlement. The one man
who can insist on some respect for the
public interests is the President
The belief is growing that there can be
no peace in the coal-mining industry until
a way is found to apply TO the coal in the
ground those principles OF conservation
which the Federal Government is applying
to the forests. At present the mines are
worked only part of the year, because they
can produce all the coal that will be con-
sumed in that time. The miners are Idle
during the remaining part of the year.
huv nslo loJ ,o,. ebor
enough TO provide them with work for the
whole twelve months. but this demand has
been resisted by the operators
There ought TO be n survey Of the whole
industry. to be followed by an agreement
TO operate for the whole twelve months only
mines enough to produce the estimated
amount of coal required for domestic con.
sumption and the foreign market. Then
the surplus miners would be freed TO enter
other occupations where they could be en-
ploycd proftaby. And the wages of the
miners could be adjusted on fair principles
so that strikes would be rare If they did not
disappear altogether.
This IS what Secretary Hoover has been
urging for many months. But neither the
miners nor the operators have shown any
interest IN the plan. They are apparently
we'll pleased with the present system, which
enables the miners to find an excuse for
asking for higher wages and the operators
to justify an increase in the price Of coal.
The plan could be carried out only through
some form of Federal Intervention.
y commission similar 10 that which
President Roosevelt appointed in 1902 ough,
10 be named by President Harding as soon
as he can induce n group of representative
citizens to sit upon it. The Roosevelt
commission commanded the confidence of
the country because it was constituted re-
gardless of the political affiliations Of the
members and because the appointees were
men who could not be suspected Of any sin
lister purposes. They We're men whose sole
desire was TO find n way out of an in
tolerable situation.
il is worth while recalling that President
Roosevelt had made arrangements to take
over the mines with the aid of the army
If the operators and miners had not con-
sented to his plan of adjudication. The
Nation would have sustained him in this
course. for it was paying what then seemed
to be the outrageous price of So ton for
anthracite.
We have been paying this price for 50
long that most Of US have given up hope Of
having 1t reduced. But there Is n growing
rcstlessness under the prospect of an in.
crease in price this winter.
The delay in coming TO grips with the
question has resulted in the IIerrin mas.
sacre in the soft coal fields Of Illinois, and
there are the prcmonitory rumb!ings Of
trouble IN the anthracite regions Of this
state.
Yet there is a prctense of disagreement
between the miners and operators on the
calling Of competitive district or local con-
feronces for discussion of grievances. rs
though a settlement ought 10 be delayed for
this reason. If there were a genuine desire
10 consider the interests OF the consumers
way would be found TO get the mines in
operation at once.
Once more it should bc said that President
Harding has It in his power TO bring order
out of the present confusion. He IS the
representative of the whole people, and he
has moral force enough to compel the dis
putants TO submit their grievances 10 any
commission he may appoint and 10 abide
by any decision which that commission NAV
make He has full warrant IN the present
situntion 70 exercise TINT noMnr III nncn