Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-25
STRATEGIC MOVES IN THE
SETTLEMENT OF THE STRIKE
Playing for Position VIII Soon Have to
Give Way to the Exercise Of Public
Authorifv and a Showdowo

~ got beyond the stage of strategic move
ments.
President Harding asked the operators to
open their mines and they replied that they
could not do 1t with safety unless something
were done to assure the men that they would
be protected from violence.
Thereupon the President issued his procla-
nation inviting the men to go back to work
and the operators to employ them and calling
upon the Governors of the coal producing
States to see that thorc was no disorder.
Troops consequently were ordered out in
this and other States and they are camped in
the coal regions ready to act in any emer-
gency. But there has been no general re-
opening Of the mines thus far.
The conference In Washington yesterday
to agree on plan for speeding up produc-
tion in the non-union mines and to ration
both coal and coal cars in order to insure
distribution to the points where there is
shortage indicates that there is no lively
expectation that the presence of troops in
the union regions will bring about an imme-
diate resumption of mining.
Attorney General Daugherty has expressed
the opinion that there is sufficient legal
authority TO justify the Interstate Commerce
Commission in allotting cars to the regions
where coal Is being produced and to justify
Secretary Hoover, of the Department of
Commerce, in taking steps to prevent profit
eerng in the sale of coal.
This conference in Washington Is merely
one more strategic move. No one can tell
what It's effect will be. There is n growing
belief. however, that there will be no perma-
nent settlement of the trouble until after
there has been n thorough and impartial in
quiry into all the facts about the mining
and marketing of coal.
The coal operators are now favoring the
appointment of such q commission as the
President suggested last week. A. NJ. Ogle,
president of the National Coal Association,
has telegraphcd Mr.. Harding urging the i'm.
mediate appointment Of this fact finding
commission so that the members can begin
the investigation at once.
Curiously enough, Mr.. Ogle asks that the
commission contain neither miners nor oper-
ators, but that It should be absolutely nom
partisan. This recognition of the weakness
Of the system of arbitration through repre-
indicates n growing appreciation Of the in
terest of the public in labor controversies.
There have been arbtrations in the past
and they have usually resulted in compro-
misses which have not taken into account
anything but the narrow and selfish interests
Of the disputants. And the arbitration
awards have usually left grievances which
ultimately provoked new disturbances.
It Is not beyond the ability Of fair minded
men TO find a way for a reasonably perma-
nent and equitable way for keeping the
mines in operation. The Importance of pro-
vid!ng an adequate and continuous supply Of
coal must be admitted first This Is merely
another way of saying that the public inter-
est is Of prime Importance and that 1t can
not be made to suffer through any disputes
among those whose duty it is to serve the
public, either with fuel or with transporta-
ton
The appointment Of the Presidents com.
mission. however soon It may come. will not
be enough to maintain industrial peace. A
permanent commission, or court preferably,
is needed TO which industrial disputes may
be referred without the interruption Of pro-
duction And this court or commission must
have power to enforce It's DEGREES.
We have such a commission now exer-
cislng supervision over railroad operations.
This commission was bitterly opposed in the
first place but the railroads would not 60
back to the old system of cutthroat and ir-
responsible competition If they could. An
extension Of the principle on which the In
terstate Commerce Commission is based to
other industries as conditions warrant will
bring about state Of greater peace.
There is nothing In the theory that other
great industries differ from the railroads in
that they do not need public franchises for
their operation. The essential justification
for the Interstate Commerce Commission
was not that 1t dealt with the franchise
holding corporation, but that It was needed
to protect the public in the enjoyment of an
essential to business.
Coal is just as essential as railroads.
II the coal operators and the coal miners
cannot agree among themselves to keep the
public provided with fuel the Government Is
justified in stepping in and forcing the
private interests to respect the public in