The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-06-30
Washington
Hopeful For
Strike S End
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Copyright ~ The lntelliSencer)

Washington. June 22-Mine owners
have sign:Hed their intention OF attend
Ing President Hard!ng's conference here
saturday In which the government will
use its good Offices 70 persuade opera
tors and miners 10 settle the coal strike.
John l.. Lewis. head OF the miners
union had already accepted the invita-
tion so that the willingness OF the o2er-
stors to come too ends all maEeuvertng
on that point In past years acceptance
OF an invitation TO conference usually
was preceded by the laying down OF
conditions for the conference but in this
case the call was issued by the preSt-
dent OF tho United States and neither
side could afford 10 defy public opinion
by Ignoring such summons.
The greatest confidence prevails that
the coal strike will be settled and that
q precedent will be established which
will go a long way toward preventing
further strikes IN the coal business. The
intervention oS the chief executive in
c!dertally Is rot merely rs a presiding
officer or as a mediator but as repre-
sentative os the public interest. The
government has heSttated % use \ club
~ 10 Indicate the source o. its legal
power IN eventually taking a hand II an
emergency arose but il now - clear
and both sides will understand Il when
they get In conference.-the the supply
~ the nation with fuel IS considered a
public interest Of paramount Import
arce IN fact SO important that the
h-oad constitutional rowcrS oS national
safety would BE invoked by the NNecu-
tive II the American people really be-
gan % suffer. Talk Of government
seizure os the mines Is but 4 symptom
!, nNi haS
recurrence OF strikes means suffering
- The employees. a readjuS:ment of fn-
snces on the part Of the operators. de-
oletion ot coal reserves and Sougirs
o. the public as prices 20 the consumer
ara inevitably raised.
President Harding has another reas-
IN Of course ror presiding at The coal
conference. The mine operators. many
of whom are under indictment FOR max
ing wage agreements with mine unions
n the past have insisted that the FED
aral courts might charge them with
contempt II they entered into another
agreement while the courts were trying
cases growing out oc previous agree
general that prosecution would not fol
low have NOT beNr deemed sufficient
The president himself Is calling the
conference 50 no federal judge Is likely
20 interfere IN fact there Is every reas-
on 70 believe the courts would not have
lnterferred even y Mr.. Harding had not
called the conference. Yet the accept
arce Of the president served tho double
person Of guaranteeing Immunity from
prosecution for agreements made +, the
conference beginning here Saturday and
brings into play N" government tnHu-
snce as mediator and - - reDresen-
;at'vs o. 'ha public which must he pro-
'acted 7Sairs. the effects OF a dimin-
shed coal supply.
Presidential Authority
vndoubtsdly Secretary Davis and Sec
-eta-y Hoover will be asked by the pres
Ifent 70 act IN his behalf after the ore;r-
ing meeting but the presidential author
ity Will be present Just the same
As for the crisis In the railroad situ-
stion. the government here Is not as
hopeful OF results as IN the coal dis
rTce There Is no move IN contempIa-
''ou Ne~e. The coal situation was tao
k'ed direct as there is no tribunal 70
which the controversy could have hnen
BROUGHT The railroad dlsputants have
he United States railway labor hoard.
decision has been rendered by tho
board and the question now Is whether
'he railway shopmeu will respectJ that
they strike they may focus attention
snew on tho tact that the railway Ia Dor
board under tho transportation act has
rot power 10 enforce IFS decisions eH-
-s0t the moral power ~ public opinion
and congress may be persuaded 10 put
teeth" IN the TRANSFORMATION act Mr.
Harding while a member OF the United
States senate voted for an ant!-strlke
provision to be inserted in the tranSpor-
ta.lon act now on the statute books but
the provision was eliminated before the
bill vas adopted. Il would require 1T
tie impetus from an acute railroad sit
Nation 70 cause NJ. Harding to appeal
rc- such provision again though the
eject on labor as a whole at A moment
when members OF congress are up FOR
-~-N,sctlon might prevent action at this
time
The Railroad Threat
r Is not expected here that 4 general
vaIkout Will develop on the railroads
srd that those shop craft unions which
d strike will not seriously disturb
transportation In this country The
question % whether the railway en-
ployes will openly defy the decision Of
the railroad labor board by a strike Is
really doubted here for drastic action
~ some kind would hc inevitable from
government sources The opinion still
prevails that an eleventh hour post
ponement or truce Will be effected.