The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-05-04
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
BY j. +. Jones

BY J. E. Jones
Congress has been giving attention
to labor conditions hat have resulted
in strikes, lockouts, rioting and civil
war in the coal fields, these many
years. A few months ago it was nee
essary to send federal troops into
West Virginia fields. A senate COM
mittee that examined into the West
Virginia matter recently made a re-
port showing almost unbelievable
wage and living conditions in the coal
mining country. But this report was
along the same line as other reports
covering the same industrial condi-
tons Of bygone years. And now, with
a new strike on hand, congress is at
it again-and it is safe to say that it
will find the same old industrial pest
holes that have been so often featured
in these same astonishing documents.
While congress is restless over the
situation, and with Senator Borah
even going so far as to demand "draS-
tic public action" the attorney gen.
tl dl JdhtS ii DldSt NlC" VI tilC oIlud-
ton, declaring that men have a right
to quit work and men have a right to
employ other men," To these obSer-
vations he adds that it is the duty of
the local authorities to maintain, but
if worst m to worst the govern
ment will perform whatever may be
it's duty in the premises" This kind
of talk plainly initiates congress, as
the legislative bodies feel that larger
principles are involved than are stated
by the attorney general.
OF course there have been instances
when the Washington government has
used the big stick in dealing with
coal mining conditions, but that usual
ly has been when a coal shortage
threatened the country. With summer
coming on the public interest in the
well-night perpetual strikes is far
from acute, and the great public likely
figures it out that the annual" row
will be over before it m time to
start the furnaces next fall.
Students of the situation hat exists
in the coal fields are always greatly
strikes, and they point to the stories
related in the official reports referred
to above as conclusive evidence that
there is an un-American condition
governing living conditions and en-
plOyment in the coal mining regions,
which does not seem to improve with
time. They insist that the public in
tereSt in the situation is SO much
greater than the interests Of coal mine
owners and operatives that it is high
time that a constructive plan should
be worked out by the government and
the states where the coal mining in
dustry is important, to clean up the
situation, in order that coal mining
might be carried on in a way that
compares with the responsibility and
fairness that exists in the other great
industries of the country.
Eugene Meyer, Jr., chairman of the
to Washington after a trip through the
west, where he has been studying
agricultural conditions and agricul-
tural credits. Mr.. Meyer has a very
clear idea of the situation, due to the
fact that he has the moneybag for
Uncle Sam in the ~loaning of money
for agricultural purposes. His recent
trip was made at the suggestion of
President Harding. "a great change
has been wrought in six months" he
says. Il have met with farmers,
stockmen, business men and bankers
men who are in a position to know
the trend of conditions-and | find
a new spirit among them" Mr.. Meyer
declares that the agricultural indus
tries are rapidly getting on their feet,
and he sun this to mean that a
sound business basis is in the offing.
Twenty-Five senators from agricul-
tural states have formed a tariff-bloc.
1t is composed of much the same
group that made the farm bloc famous.
The new tariff bill has been on the
skids for more than a year. and there
has been a good deal Of apprehension
that it would not be passed at this
session. President Harding has been
urging it, and Republican leaders have
been fighting hard for peace" within
their own ranks in order that they
might get a bill through. But they
have not been successful, and now
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