New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-18
Seizure and Operation by
Government Declared
Certain if Operators Are
Unable to Avert Famine
Executive Acts as
Arbitration Fails
Observers Doubt Coal Can
Be Produced Unless i. 6.
Takes Over All W orkings
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, July ia des-
perate effort to provide the country
with sufficient coal by protecting the
mines with troops is to be UNDER
taken by the Administration, it was
made clear tonight. p.
Should this prove insufficient the
next step will be government seizure
and operation of the mines. ~
President Harding told the mine
operators tonight that the point had
been reached where the good Offices
of the government in seeking vol
untary adjustment between the oper-
ators and workers are without
avail"
After explaining that public wei
fare and national security over
shadow in Importance the freedom
of action on the part of the workers
and operators, the President directed
the operators to return to their
mines and "resume operations.
The miners from the first have been
hoping against hope for government
operation. Every one comedies that
government operation would be a tre-
mendous victory for them. TIE gov
ernment could operate only with the
men now on strike, would undoubtedly
operate on the present scale, and the :,
final outcome would be we'll within the
hands of the union leaders.
Protection Victory for Owners
On the other hand, protection of the
mines by Federal troops, aided in the
various states by the National Guard,
constabulary and local police, world,
if successful, be a tremendous victory
for the mine operators. 1t would put
the union officials at decided disad-
vantage in the eventual negotiations
with the operators. They would at
once be deprived of their two chief
weapons-pressure of necessity of coal
on the part of the public and forcefui
restraint of strike breakers.
No one here, for example, disguises
the fact that the Herrin massacre,
whatever may be said or thought Of
it, was big, smashing victory for the
union miners. 1t stop | operations
in that vicinity, and i. prevented the
resumption of operations with non
union miners in other localities.
House May Be Called Back
Rumors tonight that the House Of
Representatives would be called back
to Washington, however, in order to
rush through legislation for govern
ment operation of the mines, show
how little hope there is in Washington
that mere protection at this stage Of
the strike will be sufficient.
With the unions holding out most
of their men-and indications are they
may succeed in holding them all out
the best estimates here are that it
would be impossible now for enough
coal to be produced, even with perfect
protection from lawlessness by union
miners, to supply the country's neces-
stiles
AS matter of fact, because so little
coal has been mined and practically no
sererve stock for the winter accumu-
lated either in the Northwest or in
New England, it is not believed here
that maximum production such as
might follow if the strike were settled
tomorrow would prevent a pinch this
winter. This does not mean coal for
household purposes, but enough for
AT 5 o'clock this afternoon the BIZ
luminous coal operators made extended
verbal and written reports to the Pres
ident All of the subscribed broadly
to the proposal to arbitrate.
The majority of the districts repre-.
sented in the conference accepted the
Presidents proposal Internationally.
A minority of the districts in the con-
ference Joined in subscribing to the
general principles Of arbitration and
collective bargaining. The reply Of the
operators was summarized in letter
from A. M. Ogle, chairman Of the BIZ
luminous operators group, the text Of
which follows:
I'VE have given most careful and
thorough consideration to the pro-
posal submitted by You on July 10,
supplemented by your statement OF
July 10, and we are not only In entire
accord with your plan to establish q
general tribunal to inquire into all the
facts in our industry and make recon-
mendations for the solution Of our
fundamental problem, but we urge
that such plan be put into effect by
you.
1--WE also wish to remind you that
we have already proposed the broad
principle of arbitration in our previ-
Gus conferences Win the 0mC1al82 OK
the Administration and with the reps
resentatives Of the miners. We still
stand on that broad principle and are
in entire accord with you in that re-
spect.
"We did have in mind discussing
with you certain recommendations as
to the machinery to make an arbi-
tration plan effective and to accom-.
plish the result which the country
and you yourself desire.
Acceptance Is by Districts
.In view of the contingencies that
confront us and the varying conditions
in the different coal producing dis
tricts of the country, our conference
has decided to answer your proposal
by districts rather than as a whole,
and we attach hereto statements OF
the positions taken by the several dis
tricts representing the conference Of
operators assembled at your request
in Washington.
"All of the operators of your con-
ference unite in supporting the prin-
ciple of arbitration and collective bar