The New York herald., 1922-08-10
COAL CRISIS GRAVE,
ROOSEVELT WARNS
Says Situation Is as Critical as
United States Ever Faced
in History.
.LAUDS HARDING'S PLAN
Responsibility Rests on Those
Who Refuse to Heed
President
.LAUDs HARDING's PLAN

ROCHESTER,. Aug. 9.---That this country
faces crises as serious as any that
ever has gone down in history was the
declaration of Theodore Roosevelt. AS
sistant Secretary of the Navy, in warn
ing, to-day, of the impending menace Of
q country tied up by the coal strike.
A coal famine stares US IN the face,
he said, and the country does not really
know just what such a condition would
mean. Mr.. Roosevelt declared the re-
sponsibility of the strike must rest upon
those who have refused to give ear to
the Presidents efforts to make peace in
the industry.
The coal strike declaration from the
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy came
as conclusion to his speech at the
Supervisors picnic at Newport here to-
day and left no doubt in the minds OF
his hearers as the situation as viewed
at Washington. He said:
Not Moving Smoothly.
"T have spoken to you friends OF
what has been dbne, of the very con-
siderable achievements for the country
that have been accomplished by the Re-
publican administration I would be
dereiict. however. IL left with you the
impression that all is moving smoothly.
All is not moving smoothly. The coun-
try is faced at this time by as grave
crisis as 1T ever has faced. we are
stared in the face by a coal famine. |
do not believe that the country knows
what a coal fannie would mean.
"In the sheltered, comfort surrounded
lives of the average person 1t is dlrfi-
cult to visualize disaster. Coal is neces-
sary TO transport the milk that is used
-. Il sx. 41aa Ya0f nj
is necessary to produce the bread eaten
by the people. Coal Is necessary to
make the clothes we wear on our backs.
THE President has striven earnestly
to bring both strikes to an end. In so
doing he has acted as the spokesman OF
the public. His good offices may yet
be successful Up to this time. however,
one party or the other has refused to
accept. The responsibility for impend-
ing conditions in the country must be
faced by those who refuse to accept
reasonable compromise. They must bear
the onus OF the suffering of the women
OF disagreement In the railroads and
coal mines but a minority of the coun-
try is engaged.
Duty Is to Majority.
"4The primary duty of the Govern
ment. however. is to a majority of the
people, not to any minority Should these
negotiations fail to bring results we will
have to move at once TO protect the
people in their need. Furthermore. such
dangers as We are confronting must not
occur again. All those engaged in these
industries. employers and employees.
win have to work out some method of
mutual adjustment to prevent these
troubles.
These matters are of such grave con-
Germ to the country that, il they do not.
the Government will be forced to find
some method of it's own for preventing
their occurrence. The interests of the
people as whole must be guarded.
The men and women who buy coal by
the scutteful must be protected.
"In the long run. however. the preven.
tion of these troubles lies as I said in
recent speech in recognizing the part
nership relation between labor and cap
itaL They should should not be organ
lied against one another In hostile
camps but as on some partnership basis
so that the success of the business re
fleets directly to the benefits OF BOTH