Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-24
STRIKES BRING
OLD ACTIVITY
IN WASHINGTON
Harding Likely Facing
Greatest Crisis Ever
Put Before Executive.
Lights Burn Late at the
White House and Men
of Cabinet Are Busy.
BY ROBERT T. SMALL
Special Correspondent Of Great Falls Tribune
IpnNrirhL. l9a2. BY The CIR al Falls Tribune.

@ ~ - hJ Try pItd aIAo iiiDoiiN
Washington. July 23.-Washington
is %throbbing with activity that sug-
gests some of the tense days of the
war. Lights CLEAN late from the
White House windows and cabinet of
ficers run about with impressive haste
and seemingly resolute purpose.
One wing of the capitol is closed. for
the house members are enjoying a
much desired vacation, but at the other
end of the big bui ding on the hill the
senate is trying to focus its atten-
ton on a very dry tariff bill. while
the senator's themselves gather in the
cloakrooms and discuss nothing but
the industrial crisis through which the
nation is passing.
II seems as if everything under the
sun can happen TO delay action on the
tariff. Now it is the coal and rail
road strikes. 1t is awfully difficult
to talk about the ad vaiorem on cot
ton goods when the folks back home
are demanding TO know what is going
TO happen to the railroads and the coal
bins. These men at home have heard
that coal is to be rationed and they
want to get their share of the r%ations.
Hence the hasty charge of senators
upon the front steps of the White
House.
Executive In Spotlight
As in the days of war, the executive
branch of government once more has
taken the center of the stage and CON
gress is in danger Of total. even
though temporary. eclipse. The rail
road and coal strike are very intimate
things 70 the people Of the nation.
The senate is anxious to do some
thing about the strike, but ii is i'm
possible at the moment. Possibly
eventually it will pass a resolution Of
some kind. Congress hates to pass a
law with teeth in it. Nobody knows
who they might bite. If the house
were in session it would be even more
restless than the senate and the presi-
dents list of daily callers would in
clude many. There are compensations
ever in a semi-congress adjournment.
The various industrial agencies of
the country are sending their repre-
sentatives to Washington. much as they
did. in the days of the war. The hotel
Hobbies. deserted a few weeks ago, have
taken on the hustle of war time CAPT
tails. Pennsylvania avenue, often de-
serted in mid summer, is choked at
times. with vehicle traffic. The White
House and all the government depart
ments, having even y remote a~ssocia-
ton with the big twin strike, are be-
sieged.
Miners Open Headquarters
The miners have opened h~eadouar- |
ters in one of the leading hotels and
the coal operators have increased their !
permanent staff at the capital to cope
with the new situation. While the rail
road strike is conducted from Chicago,
the headquarters of the American Fed !
GRAFTON of Labor in Washington is the
center of news and interest. Here in
Washington are located the central Of
fices of the Association of Railway ex-
ecutives.
In short. Washington has become
once more the great industrial clearing
house Of the nation, and it is believed
that here the decisions must be reached
or the block fall which will write a
new chapter in the industrial relations
of the American republic.
President Harding, at a time when
he should be expected to be rougbinp
it and enjoying life in Alaska. finds
himself confronted by perhaps the most
serious domestic situation which any