The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-19
Leaders in Hurry Up Drive to
Frame Legislation.
Nations Empty Coal Bins Must
BE Filled Again.
WILL HIT THE PROFITEERS
Speech Delivered by President
Yesterday Last Word.
Use Force Only Unless the n.
Y. Conference Fails. r4

| --r--I
| Washington, Aug. 1e.-Senate and
house leaders were racing against
! time today in an attempted drive to
get under the wire first with the legis-
lation recommended by President
Harding to fill the nations empty coal
bins and prevent their being emptied
again by a strike.
Pride of leadership and pride of
authorship brought forth various plans
! to meet the presidents proposal for a
coal commission to rip the I'D off the
whole coal situation, and for a tenn
porary national coal agency, with
needed capital, to purchase, sell and
distribute coal.''
| Meeting of the senate and house in
terstate commerce committees were
scheduled for Monday to grapple with
/ th@ Legislative problems forced on con-
gress by the coal strike. A joint ses-
sion was proposed. but the house.
jealous of its prerogatives and resent
full of senate dictation, was not kindly
disposed toward one.
Propose Coal Commission.
Profiteering in coal and the pinch
! of a serious coal shortage already felt
in many parts of the country, would.
administration leaders, hoped, act as
a spur in driving congress to act
quickly, but it was believed that less
! difficulty would be experienced in set
: ting up the proposed coal commission
than in creating the proposed price
fixing agency.
1t was believed the house Interstate
commerce committee would report a
bill eventually providing for a federal
! coal corporation with an authorized
capitalization of 100000, 600 and EN-
powered to purchase, sell and distrib-
ute coal only when such activities are
held necessary to avert coal shortages,
!! stabilizing prices and prevent prof
iteering.
Know Where Harding Stands.
President Hardings pronouncement
that the federal government is pre-
pared to use every power" at its COM
mand to keep trains moving over the
/ 100000 miles of trackage that COM
prise the nations railroad systems
even to utilization of troops and the
legal weapon contained in the con-
psiracy laws-is his last word to both
I sides in the rail crisis, 1t was asserted
/ today by administration Spokesman.
| For the present, it was said. tho
president will tie no steps calculated
| to embarrass in any way the efforts
at peaceful adjustment being made in
New York by the joint conference of
railway executives and union leaders.
Not until it becomes apparent that the
New York conference is a failure will
there be any step taken to carry out
the presidents implied threats, # was
said.
What amounte almost to conviction
prevailed generally in administration
| circles today that President Harding
never will have to invoke the powers
of chastisement mentioned In his
m essage.
! Private advices received by cabinet
, officers and senators in close touch
with both sides in New York were to
the effect that a basis of adjust
ment' has been found, that agreement
has been reached in the main and
that next week will witness the work
ing. out an on detaifs
Crisis Next Week.
Government officials agreed today
that next week will see the crisis OF
the rail strike reached. Next week
the Interstate commerce commission
! wlli render a report to the senate on
+; the &C ndition of motive power in the
! United States. 1t is understood this
report will be startling. 1t will re-
seen the records. that between 40 and
so per of the country's rolling equip
ment has deteriorated to the point of
nonusIee in keeping within the safe
! ty laws.
"u .iess botF sides want to commit
economic suicide, they will settle this
| strike next week" a cabinet officer
| Informed International News Ser yice
today. If they don't settle now. ths
] reads Till be utterly unable to handle
! the vast amount of prosperous busi-
/ ness that Is waiting around the COR
ner, because the condition of their mo-
tive power won't permit them to-"
! Chicago, Aug. 19.-Swift upon Pres
( ident HaFding's denunciation of the
{ failure of the state of Illinois to prose-
cute the perpetrators of the Herrin
I massa ere came the announcement to-
day by the Illinois Chamber of Com
merce that a statewide drive was to
| be launched to get enough money to
/ insure the guilty persons being
1 brought to justice.
/ The drive among the chambers
/ $4,000 members will start on Monday
and complete responses are expected
| by John H. Camlin. president OF the
I chamber.
/ According to members of the Cham
| ber of Commerce. States Attorney
| DeIos Duty and the attorney general
/ have been Handicapped from a proper
/ investigation by a lack of funds. The
! lack will now be remedied.
! Assurances that the state of Illinois
( did not and would not condone the
Herrin massacre and that all efforts
were being made to secure evidence
! leading to the conviction of those
{ guilty of the atrocities. were made in =
/ telegram sent to President Harding
today by the Illinois Chamber of Conn
merce.
I'VE grant that justice has failed.
f! Mr. President" said the message in
part failed utterly and pardonably
but we Of Illinois do not intend that
this failure OF justice shall remain q
blot on the nation. The citizens OF
3 -. ~