Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-07-28
U. S. ASSUMES
Rail CONTROL
Fuel Is Given First Place in the
Priority Order of
|. C. C.
LEGISLATION MAY Be NEEDED
Harding Submits Plan to Miners and
perators-Former BaIk at
Scheme, 1t Is Said-Lewis
Calls 1t Complicated.

Washington, July 26-The federal
government at midnight assumed con-
troll of all coal distribution and the
railroad facilities engaged in the
transportation of this class of fuel,
lfoodstuffs, and fuel oil.
The priority order on foods and
fuels applies To the railroads east Of
the Mississippi river. A separate Or
der directs all the railroads in the
United States to move traffic over the
most direct routes.
The plan for coal distribution as
outlined by Secretary Hoover was
unanimously adopted here at con-
ference of mine operators, railway
officials and government representa-
Itiyes.
The Interstate Commerce commits
sion at once issued an order establish
ing priority for the movement of coal
and procedure at the various rail
lcenters.
To Appoint judicial Tribunals.
President Harding will appoint
judicial tribunals to adjust the coal
situation within a week, irrespective
of emergency efforts now being made
to avert fuel crisis.
The purpose of these quasi1udiciaL
bodies will be to stabilize the coal in,
ldustry. Miners and operators will be-
Excluded except to the extent of plead
ing their cause before these tribunals,
The White House made this public
following an extensive cabinet meet
ing at which only the two major in
,dustrial problems, coal and railroads..
were discussed.
Action by congress also was fore.
cast in a bill introduced by Senator
Borah to create fact-fnding commits
sion. The commission would make an
exhaustive study Of coal mining, with.
a view of recommending legislation to-
stabilize the industry and prevent flu
ture strikes. 1t would do officially
what President Harding has said he
will have done by commission ap-
pointed by him. Ownership of the
mines, cost of production and distri-.
button, profits, wages, irregular pro-
duction, prices and other information!
sought by the government but blocked
by the operators for yecrs win be
probed.
Harding Submits Plan.
President Harding has submitted to
the coal operators and miners a plan
for settling the coal strike, based upon
guaranteeing to the miners mini
mum wage for at least $50 days in
the year. it was announced at the
White House.
The plan is understood 70 have
been submitted by President Harding
to John L. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers or America. 1t
was said the plan was regarded favor
ably by a number Of coal operators,
but that the unions opposed it on the
ground that it was too complicated
The United Mine Workers, however
are understood not to have fatty re-
jected the plan.
Issue Complicated.
The coal strike situation, it was
officially explained, is complicated byl
"a number of different issues. and is
aggravated by the fact that a
thoroughly unsound economic condi,
ton exists. There are from 100000
ito 100000 more miners in the coun-
try, 1t was stated, thsn is necessary
for the production of the American
coal supply.
There are numerous coal mines
which are unable TO pay the wage
scale obtainea by the miners unions.
Some of the miners, it was stated.
seem to be willing to work three
days week, provided they can make
enough in that time to live com.
rortaOly.
This situation. President Harding
believes. should be corrected.
Under the proposed plan, men
would be guaranteed a minimum of
$50 days work a year, and the en-
lployer who failed to furnish that
much work would be required to nav
IAN additional sum for each day lost
In tbs way, it was said. a num-
Der OF mines being operated on nm.
sound economic principles would
gradually be eliminated, as those mine
operators who could not furnish go
DAYS work Annually cnuId no+ 49,.