The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-08-25
Strike of Bituminous Miners Set
tied Temporarily and in
a, Feeble Manner.
BOTH SIDES CLAIM VICTORY
Negotiations Between Railway Elk
ecutives and Shopmen Resumed
Violence BY Strikers Exasperates
the PubIIc--France Ready to
Enforce Sanctions Against
DefauItino Germany.
By EDWARD W. PIcKARD

nNE of our great strikes-that Of
~ the bituminous miners-wa set
tied last week, partially, temporarily,
and after a fashion. The agreement
reached at Cleveland by the miners
officials and operators representing
perhaps 60,O0O,0OO. tons annual pro-
duction means there will be enough
coal to get through the fall and win
ter, though conservation and ration
ing probably will be necessary. But
the old wage scales and working con-
ditions are to continue in effect until
March 81, 1928, which means the high
prices for coal that have prevailed
for several years will be maintained
by the dealers, If they can do it, and
also that next April the disputes and
probably the strike will begin all over
again. To be sure, the agreement
provides for the creation of machinery
to avert further strikes and to bring
some order into the chaotic coal in
dustry, but the public must not count
too much on this.
Both the miners and the operators
claim to have won a victory at
Cleveland, the former because their
wages and work conditions are I'M
changed. and the latter because the
miners signed agreements with indi-
Sidual operators and also because the
tribunals to be set up solve the issues
revolving around the question of ar
bitration, which. the miners oppose.
The agreements were with opera
tors Of all the bituminous states ex-
cept Illinois and Indiana, but the pros
poets for resumption Of mining In
those two states also was excellent.
Already the coal profiteers are get
ting in their work. Senator Borah
OF Idaho called this to the attention
of the federal fuel committee and an
nounced his intention of seeking legis-
lation to check them. AT the same
time Fuel Distributor Spencer asked
the railroads to refrain from competi-
tive bidding for coal, the result Of
which had been to force the price
A above the limit set by Secretary Hoov-
er. It was stated in Washington that
President Harding would ask congress
to pass legislation giving the federal
fuel committee legal powers to con-
troll the distribution and regulate the
price Of coal as a safeguard against
hardship and profiteering. 1t is quite
evident that unless the government
does come to the rescue, the settle
ment of the coal strike will be an ex-
pensive thing for the consumer.
LIS final suggestion for settling the
strike Of railway shopmen having
been rejected by the union, and only
accepted by the railway executives
with reservations, President Harding
lost nearly all the wonderful patience
with which he has been dealing with
that problem.
On Friday the President laid the
whole matter before congress. After
declaring the right of employer and
employee alike to conduct their bust
ness must be recognized, he said he
was resolved to use all the power Of
the government to maintain transpor-
taliVH-uhu SuStaiH the IiSHl VI men u
work" He said the Esch- Cummins act
was inadequate and recommended ac-
ton to make the railway labor boards
decisions enforceable and effective
against carriers and employees alike"
He scored severely the strikers for
their acts of brutality and their con-
tempt for law, and announced his in
tention to invoke laws, civil and GRIM
inal forbidding conspiracies hindering
Interstate commerce and requiring
safety in railway service.