New-York tribune., 1922-08-19
Legislators Said to Favor
Coal Agency and Plea
for Power for Labor
Board to Enforce Ruling
Harding Insists ON
The Right to Work
Deplores Union Warfare
and Bitterly Denounces
the Massacre at Herrin
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1s.-Use Of
"all the power of the government to
maintain transportation and sustain
the right Of men to work" was
pledged by President Harding in his
address to Congress to-day. Vigor-
Gus denunciations of the abuses Of
organized labor, particularly the re-
sort to violence to prevent other men
from working, marked a speech
which savored more of the Big
Stick" than anything President
Harding has yet. done
Four pieces of legislation were da-
manded of Congress, one immediate
for the present emergency and three
designed to prevent occurrences. The
first is aimed at coal profiteering.
The President asked that a tempo
rary national coal agency be set up
with authority to buy and sell coal
moving in interstate commerce.
Coal mined in one state and destined
for another virtually could be COM
mandeered by this agency, at price
fixed as fair byiit, and then sold in
another state, thus holding the price
down and preventing the present at.
tempt to make the public bear the
entire cost of the strike.
Passage Is Assured
Passage of such law is absolutely
assured by leaders of both houses Of
Congress tonight.
A coal commission, authorized by
Congress to investigate the whole in
dustry and to recommend laws for the
prevention of similar strikes in the
future, is the first of the measures for
future relief. The President laid con-
siderable emphasis on the plan of guar
anteeing the miners a minimum work
ing year of 2S0 days and the providing
of storage facilities which will permit
steady employment. The burden of
supporting more workers by the indus
try than are required and dividing this
work at high wages must not be placed
on the back Of the public, the Presi-
dent insisted. 4
1t was regarded as likely that this
commission would be authorized by
Congress, although the President let it
be known some time ago that the union
leaders had all opposed his idea of a
guaranteed 28o-day working year, and
that the coal operators, though not say
ing it was impractical, had not en-
thused over it.
The remaining two proposals of the
President are assured of bitter opposi-
ton, though both were greetes with
ri mot tsrof1 0S
Joint session of Congress to-day. It
was evident from canvass later, how
ever, that while most of the members
Of Congress think the President is alb
soiutely right, the courage of the aver
age Senator and member of the House
when it comes co voting for something
to which union labor is opposed, is not
particularly strong, with the resalt that
it will require considerable White
House pressure to PUT these tive
measures through.
Teeth for Labor Board
The first is a proposal to uut teeth
into the law creating the Railroad
Labor Board.
Calling the present law inadequata
the President said:
Contrary to popular impression it
has little or NO power to enforce its
decisions. 1t can impose no penalties
on either party disregarding it's de-
cisions. 1t cannot halt a strike.
and manifestly Congress deliberately
omitted the enactment of compulsory
arbitration.
"The decisions of the board must be
made enforceable and effective against
carriers and employees alike
The second is a roundabout metbod
of giving the Federal government
power to intervene In a case like Her
rin, Ill.,, where the local authorities
for one reason or another do not sct
to punish the guilty. The proposal
now lis covered in bill proposed by
Senator Kellogg, which is the measure
the President had in miad.
This bill would give the Federal
government authority to act whenever
violence is done citizens of another
country. 1t would prove effective in
the Herrin massacre, for example. he
cause 1t so happens that many of the
men who had taken work in the mine
there and who were dragged out by
the strikers and murdered were aliens.
The theory of this bill was attacked
by such leaders as James Mann, OF Illi~
nois, because 1t afforded s. greater
measure of protection to aliens than
Americans. Practical results, however.
administration leaders pointed cut,
would give the Federal government a
powerful weapon in enforcing law and
order and preserving the right of men
to work.
Measure Urged FOR Years
The President pointed out that this
power had been urged as necessary by
President after President dating back
\ to the time of Tyler. The metivs for
/ the BILL howes4r hAa yasan IN svs:x
he embarrassment Of II Federsl gov-