New-York tribune., 1922-03-31
Federal Action That Will
Not Involve Harding To
. Be Planned To-day on
Eve Of National Strike
Kansas Orders Its
Mines Kept Open
Bland Bill Hearings Start
as Men Cease Work:
Fear Felt Other Indus
tries Will Be Involved

NASHING lON, March 30.-Direct
intervention by Congress in the coal
crisis declared o-night to be prob
abie. With both Senate and House
labor spokesman strongly inclined to-
ward Federal action, but against fore
ing President Harding's hand in the
controversy now headed toward Grip
p!ng one Of the country's greatest in
dlstrios, preliminary steps to Joint ac-
ton 10y the Senate Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor and the House Com
nuttce on Labor may be taken to-mor-
row. The strike in the mines is
scheduled for midnight tomorrow and
In some of the mines is already on.
Dispatches from Topeka, Kan, to-
night indicated the strike there NAV
not become operative because of an or
der issued by the Kansas Industrial
Court extending the present wage
agreement between the miners and
operators in tho Kansas coal fields for
period OF thirty days after April
the date set for the impending coal
miners to strike
Davis Issues Price Warning
with the strike in other sections of
the country certainty, Secretary of
Labor Davis issued a statement in
which he declared the shutdown would
rot result in coal shortage at present,
and is not an "excuse for advance in
coal prices. He suggested that in
creases in price be reported to the
Attorney General at Washington.
The committee from the lower house
-Tf for iltr h .,Fi ~
Senator Borah, chairman Of the Sen
ste committee, and discussed the Bland
resolution creating commission to
Investigate the troubles between min
ers and operators. or which hearings
were started in the House to-day. :
Chairman Nolan, Of the House com
.0ittee, aud others Of that committee
took up with Senator Borah, among
other plans, the proposition OF calling
= President Harding TO bring the OPP
orators and miners together IN con
ference with view to q settlement Of
the controversy.
Senator Borah said it would not bc
wise to force the President to action
ithout full knowledge Of the facts.
lie declared. however, that he saw no
teasou why the miners and operators
~tould not be called together by Con
ItesS He pointed out that the Pres
dent might have ample reason for not
ealing conference and that re doubt
&C. the propriety Of Congress calling
eI 'um to act without knowing more
hout the situation.
further conference will be he'd To-
~ orrow morning by Senator Borah,
Crairman Nolan, Of the House Commit
rec. and others Of that committee. A
Man OF action may result. Senator
f,rsh will call the Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor together, = ueces-
ssry.
Little Hope to Avert 1t
Little hope is held out here In any
quarter Of averting the strike. Neither
Chairman Nolan Of the House Labor
Committee, Senator Borah nor any of
nc administrative officials see like
rood that the break viii be averted
tbout the best they hope for is that
tre strike may be stopped soon after I
ius. and that is a hope rather than
he'ief
On the other hand, there is grave
nprohension among many members OF
Congress that the strike now about to
start viii spread into otner industries
and bring on other labor troubles, to
say nothing of industrial troubles and
suffering.
Chairman Nolan of the House Labor
Committee before which hearings were
tatd tonight the committee would GO
shead With IT'S hearings. and that IT
would seek to get 20 the bottom OF the
straton- He SAID the committee would
especially endeavor to ascertain wry
fne operators refused TO confer wIth
tts n ners, IS they were required - do
Uraei the 1920 contract.
II the hearings before the Bouse
Committee John Moore. representing
ho legislative committee of the
~ ted Mine Workers of Amer ca
irId tre committee that MS orqaniza-
'on was wiling 20 60 what < coa.d
:, avc.d t.e strike. HIS statement vs.
rh, cut by Representative Bland
reply % question as to whether
'e m.He-s woClo remain st the, Jobs
conference were called by the
Gttsflment.
ne miners and operators meet
io-morrow il THIS or any other city
= resolution is adopted that pres
,ht rpllngs and wage conditions could
sS CT pending decision, 81 messages
eol.o be got to the men, there would
tcSntinued next psee)