Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-05

Washington, May 3.-An industrial
code to govern all relations between
coal operators and miners, and all adj
justments Of those relations, may be
the basis of the settlement of the
controversy that has threatened the
fuel supply of the country since April
/. Such a code is the distinctive fea-
ture Of the Kenyon bill, now pending
in the senate, which was the last con-
tribution Of the former senator from
Iowa toward the solution Of strike
problems.
Senator Kenyon introduced this bill
in February shortly after the COM
mittee of which he was chairman had
concluded it's investigation Of the West
Virginia coal troubles. Senator Borah
of Idaho succeeded the Iowan as the
head of the committee that considers
labor legislation, and it is understood
that he is preparing to expedite action
on the Kenyon bill, or on some similar
measure which will embody it's essen
tial provisions. 1t is also stated that
President Harding is favorably dis
posed toward the bill, but, of course,
no one is authorized to speak for the
White House in such matters, and as
yet the president has gone no further
than to express his approval Of the
general industrial code idea in one of
his messages to congress.
The idea back of the proposed code
ls that there are certain fundam entail
principles or rights which should be
the basis Of all agreements between
the operators and miners as to wages
and working conditions and also gov
ern all settlements of disputes in the
coal industry Xtich cannot be. ad-
Justed by agreement between the par
ties directly in interest. At the same
time. it is argued, these basic princi-
pies. if applied, will safeguard the in
terests of the public which is indi-
rectly but vitality concerned in every
clash between the mine workers and
the operators.
In fact. a code Of this character may
be looked upon as a bill of rights for
coal industry and for the public which
the industry serves. The rights which
it defines may be likened to the con-
stitutional guarantees Of freedom Of
person, freedom of speech, freedom of
assembly, ct cetera.
Precedent In Railroad Law
Precedent for establishing such a
code in the coal industry is found in
the transportation act of 1920, under
which the railroads were returned to
private operation. The labor provi-
sions Of that act, after creating the
railroad labor board and defining it's
powers and duties, laid down certain
rules or principles which should be
taken into consideration by the board
in fixing wages for railroad employees.
That is to say, the board should fix
wages that were just and reasonable
and in deciding what are "just and
reasonable wages should consider "a
| the scale of wages paid for similar
work in other industries, % the re-
lation between wages and the cost of
living, t3) the hazards of the work
done, "a the training and skill re-
quired, 90 the responsibility resting
upon the workers, (6) the character
and regularity of employment. and %
any inequalities resulting from pre-
vious wage adjustments.
In its decision in the national agree
ment case, the second big controversy
brought before it, the railroad labor
establishment of a code for the trans
pOrtation industry. The board prom
ulgated 16 cardinal principles which it
decreed should be mandatory upon the
negotiation of agreements between
roads and upon the adjustment of the
the workers and the individual rail
roads and upon the adjustment of the
grievances arising un-c~ such agree
ments. These principles included
among other things the obligation rest
ing upon workers to render faithful
service, the right of employees to or
ganize and to bargain collectively
through such organization as they
elected to form, the eight-hour day,
seniority rights, the classification of
the workers, and protection of the
workers against being disciplined with
out a hearing.
The Kenyon proposal for the coal
industry proceeds along similar lines.
After providing for the creation Of a
board to hear and adjust controversies
it lays down the general principle that
"all the decisions of the labor board
with respect to wakes and working