The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-28
ORGANIZED LABOR
 OPPOSES HARD|NG|
Administration Turns Atten- ton to Foreigners-Juris-
 dictions Proposed
By HUGH ". ROBERTS

Washington, August 27.-(Special.) The break between organized labor and the Harding administration has become so pronounced. that repub- lican politicians, to counteract the loss, turn their attention to the for eign element.
 Samuel Gompers. president of the American Federation of Labor, Is persistent and bitter Is his criticism of practically all that the President does or attempts to do. The United Mine Workers of America Is official ly opposed to the Presidents plan to appoint a commission to investi- gate the coal business composed en- tirely of representatives of the peo- pie. Union labor, in all its sub divisions, is moving to defeat the ad- ministration bill protecting alien la borers. such as those butchered at Herrin, in their treaty rights.
 The Germans, the Scandanavians. the Swedes, the Russians, the Irish. are heartily In favor of the bill giv- ing the federal courts Jurisdiction over aliens. With organized labor lost. republican politicians. planning to push that bill, have In mind the big vote which the foreign element Is able to cast in the congressional elections. In the presidential cleo ton of 1920, foreigners supported President Harding, while the leaders of organized labor battled futilely for James M. Cox.
 Miners Show Hand
 The President, unmindful of the attitude of the United Mine Workers of America, has insisted that he be not restricted in the selection of the members of the commission to in- vestigate the coal business. He made this assertion when Senator Borah wrote in his bill a provision that a certain number of the commissioners should be representative of labor, dnd a certain number representatives of capital.
 To newspaper correspondents, the White House has intimated that the President is tired of capital and labcr, and wants a commission to represent the real sufferer in industrial de- bacles, the public.
 But can there be commission so unselfish that it can represent only the public? This Is the query of the United Mine Workers of America. Continuing, that organization sar- castically ayers that 1t would be as foolish to call in piano tuner to serve a sick man as to name com mission unaware of the details of the coal business to inquire into that business.
 Miners and operators" runs Inc statement, should have representa- tion if a commission Is created. How could anyone expect a commission composed of lawyers, school teachers and politicians successfully to make such an investigation? Coal mining and distribution Is technical and at the same time practical. Miners and operators know how to get at the facts regarding the industry"
 one Operator Speaks
 The attitude of the operators Is not known. They have maintained X queer silence since the President told Congress that he would like to see the industry investigated. Washing ton Is impressed with the idea that the operators are either certain that they will be vindicated in the atti- tude they have assumed. or feel that they will be able to withstand any criticism which might result rom the investigation.
 As far as known, only one operator has spoken. T. H. Watkins, presi- dent of the Pennsylvania Coal and Coke company. wired Representative Winslow. who prepared the investi gation bill for the House. that on the commission miners and operators should have representation.
 Watkins operates 30 bituminous mines in Pennsylvania which produce in excess of 3,5O0,000 tons yearly.