Evening star., 1922-02-10
Preventing a Coal Strike.


With prospective coal strike as
the incentive, Senator Kenyon has
proposed the immediate application
Of some of the lessons which his
investigation of the situation in the
West Virginia coal fields has taught.
Mr.. Kenyon may not now engineer
his plan through Congress personally,
but many papers express the hope
that one of his colleagues in the Sen
ate will act as sponsor in his stead
and see it through, for it is felt, as
the New York Globe (independenD
declares, that "if the United States
Senate has the wisdom to act without
undue delay" on the Kenyon idea, "the
impending coal strike Will be pre-
vented.
What he proposes, briefly, the Globe
continues, is IAN industrial code punt
somewhat upon the code adopted py
agreement for the use of the Natlonai
war Labor Board" which shall be ao-
mfnistered by IAN industrial Souis
similar to the United States haiiroau
Labor Board" His code, when tne
Richmond Times-Dispatch ldemo
cratic) says must be credited Win
"haying reduced to concrete oasS
va rious theories, sound and unsouho'
advanced in the direction OF peace
tween employers and employees, 10
analyzed by the Albany ilmes-hioA
independently thus: h. ~
"It reaffirms the absolute right OF
both capital and labor to organize. ~
gives sanction to collective bargain
The rights Of both union ana
non-union workmen are pro.eS Snr
adequate living must be provloeu io ~
unskilled labor ,ro,sld ana he ehf fixed in ac-
cnrdance with the suggested Soa.. -.
S,ouision is made that there shaii DC
aa;thar strikes nor lockouts until . !
nonference or hearing has been nelu, a..
Thus after the fndustrisai cGu has nv Nv
which the scheme; hem t;op" p"osa' auassed upon
10 anu,+ies and declared the rights
Ia etwrongs' involved" the kenyon
nian as the Grand Rapids Herald On
sependent) points out, wouid not ouL
law strikes and lockouts, put w~ounu ~
iea' iea r. deal with the situation that
eventuates." In short, such poilcy
womld mean that recourse TO reason
shall be the first step instead OF tne
last" ,r.-,
the coal Industry, however. there are
many matters that tho Sioux City
tribune Independently thinks the
nnhIio would like to know more
about: for instance. why does coal.
sold at the mines in central Pennsyi-
yania, cost Philadelphia consumers
sl4.75? why do not miners get enough
work to enable them to earn ade-
ouate wages? Why is it that, seeming
" nobody connected with the coal In
ldustry makes profit, when consumers
are paying exorbitant pr1ces! Ihe
Burlington (yt.) News (independent
republican, also asks how the coal
Industry problem can be settled un-
LESS 1t is understood, and how can it
! be understood unless it Is studied in
an impartial manner" Senator Ken
yon, the News believes, is moving In
the right direction" but before the
establishment of code or tribunal:
the coal industry should be fully and
fairly Investigated"
Given the code. however. an organ
ization "empowered to. handle prop.
lens that arise in the coal industry
after the manner Of the Railroad
Labor Board, the Hartford Times
(democratic) regards as absolutely
| necessary for the security, comfort
and safety of the American people"
The Railroad Labor Board. In the
opinion of the Philadelphia Bulletin
!! Independent republican,. has not
been such a brilliant success in prac-
ticai working as to lead the average
American to be particularly sanguine
! over the success of the Kenyon idea,
nor has the nations experience with
| government regulation Of the Goa!
| Industry as instanced by fuel control
during the war been so pleasant that
It would seek further experiments
along that line" Nevertheless. the
Wilkes-Bar Record (republican)
! REPLIES. ait is evident that II serious
| trouble about the mines is to be
| avoided the government must inter-
vene in some way" and senator
Kenyon is on the right track" for he
has proposed q sensible method OF
| conciliation."
This plan is not compulsory labor
| or compulsory employment OF an ef-
! fort to prohibit strikes by law" the
Lincoln (NebA State Journal dn-
dependent republican, points ut;
"it would merely compel the substi-
| for e rule Of war;" in short, an "ap-
plication of intelligence." Il is tine
falternative to the Kansas idea, the
Albany Ttmes-Union undependenc
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