The New York herald., 1922-07-07
Daugherty Goes to Ohio;
Holds Long Secret Par
ley on Crisis.
ANTHRACITE. DEADLOCK
Stocks May Be Commandeered
and Distributed by Gov
ernment.

Special Dispatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
| COLUMBUS, July 6.-Convinced that
voluntary settlement of the nation
wide coal strike is out of the question,
President Harding is devising plans
to meet the situation and to save the
country from deprivation for want of
! fuel.
/ The Presidents Fourth of July va
cation in his home town OF Marion, a
folksy affair. was rudely interrupted
last night while Marion slept. At
torney- General Daugherty came from
Washington with statement of con-
ditions, review Of the Cabinet plans
to meet the situation and a detailed
report of the practical suspension of
negotiations between the operators
and the miners and to await. word
from the President.
Press dispatches from Washington to-
! day say that the Government faced a
real crisis in the coal strike when oper-
ators and miners failed to reach an
agreement. Government officials, it was
said, were considering drastic methods
without approval Of the warning fac
| tions.
Other advices from Washington were
that IL the coal deadlock continues a
fuel board. similar to the Railroad Labor
Board, would be recommended to Con-
gress.
Attorney-General Daugherty had a
long conference with the President this
! afternoon at the Scioto Country Club,
just outside of Columbus. and another
long one this evening. They interfered
with the plans for the Presidents return
journey to Washington, intended to be
entirely u vacation trip.
AS q result Of the conference. Admin.
istration plans to meet national emer-
gency are being put forward as rapidly
as possible. Just what these plans are
is still a secret. 1t Is known, however,
that the Government is prepared to pro-
tect the public IN any dire emergency
and this will be done through enforced
priority distribution of all coal above
ground on lines adopted in the recent
war. The Government will be supplied
first and public utilities next. the people
third and the essential industries fourth.
The Administration Is averse to any
direct interference between the opera
tors and the miners.
1t hoped for settlement and then
sought one and further efforts in this
direction will be made. Administration
officials are not optimistic, however as
to their success.
President Harding and his advisers
are hopeful that definite basis of nego-
tiation. looking to settlement, may be
advanced when the conference resumes
in Washington after the Presidents re-
turn.
The President has under consideration
Ha number of suggestions but his adj
visers here and In Washington are NOV
ing to meet national emergency. Just
when the emergency arrives is a matter
for Presidential determination. There
has as yet been no suffering from coal
shortage. Reports to the President in
dicate. however. that it is only a matter
of weeks before coal shortage will be-
come acute. This is not officially ad-
mitted. because 1t might seriously upset
the effort of Secretary of Commerce
Hoover to hold the coal market and pre-
vent runaway prices.
The President is giving much study
to the situation and will be prepared to
act when he reaches Washington, late
Saturday. Seizure OF the mines is dis
tasteful and not in keeping with Ad-
ministration policy, but IL necessary the
Government will operate the coal mines
and will take ample precaution against
interference or violence