Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-30
COAL ATTACK
ON PRESIDENT
Record Says Facts in Situa-
ton Are Being Winked at
by Harding

PATERSON, Aug. 3O.-The facts
involved in the situation are being
wlnked at by President Harding and
others who propose and advocate an
investigation of the coal strike, de-
cared George L.. Record, candidate
Tor the Republican nomination for
united States senator, in a speech
mere, last evening. He denounced
his opponent, Senator Joseph S. FIRE.
~nnghuysen and other monopoly
supporters" for attempting to con-
fuse the public by Investigations. He
said these men present a proposition
in which "the underlying fallacy is
the assumption that we do not have
the necessary facts to solve this
problem without this investigation"
Mr.. Record said:
president Harding in his address
to congress recommends a complete
investigation of the coal business.
Senator Borah has introduced IA bill
which the President approves. set
ting UP a commission with power to
make such investigation.
Experience shows that nothing
ever comes of these Investigations
which in any way diminishes the
power of the trusts. 1t is of course
impossible to oppose the proposition
to investigate the coal trust, because
some good is sure to come out OF
such an investigation. Many things
which are O known to all intelli-
gent students of the problem but of
which the public is ignorant, will as
a result of the investigation be
brought home to the people, and to
that extent public opinion will be
educated. But Is against this ad-
-.,-N H. 49,. h~ 80
sleep of "a public opinion which is
now aroused over the iniquities of
the coal trust. The people will be
led to believe that such an investiga-
ton will lead to the destruction of
the trust. There is nothing in the
past history of the country to justi-
fly such a hope. We have had in
vestigations without number. We
have passed penal statutes to pre-
vent the combinations which every
body knows to exist: we have had
court DEGREES dissolving the trusts,
like the Standard Oil dissolution de-
cree. We have had the attorney
general threatening to put the beef
trust managers in prison. But moth
ing ever results. The trusts are
stronger than they ever were.
The underlying fallacy of the
proposal to investigate is the as
sumption that we do not ave the
necessary facts upon which to solve
this investigation. 1t is said that
we do not know the cost of mining
coal; hat we do not know what are
the wages that the miners actually
receive one year with another; that
we cannot tell what is the profit that
the trust makes on each ton of coal.
The answer is that such Informal
ton is not necessary to the solution
of the problem. What we do know
positively is that the coal trade is
'monopolized by a little group of fl
nanciers and bankers; that this mo-
nopoly is maintained by the private
control by the some financierS of the
railroads of the country, and by pos
session of all the land containing an
thracite coal, and the lands contain
ing the best veins OF bltumlnous
coal. The possession of these lands
and the ownership of transportation
are the sources of the power OF the
Goa trust.
'These facts are winked out of
sight by those who propose further
investigation, and they are the only
facts that are necessary in order to
solve the problem. What are we
to do when the new commission hae
ascertained the facts which it is said
we do not know? If the miners are
undergrad, how is the commission to
see that they are properly paid? If
it Is given power to increase the
of miners, is this increase to
be passed on to the public in an
increase in the price of coal, and
the trust allowed to continue its eX-
orbitant profits? If it is found by
the commission that the profits of
the trust are excessive, what are
we going to do about it? The only
remedy in that case would be to give
the commission power to fix a fair
price. This as 1 have shown re-
peatedly in previous speeches is ut
terly impossible under our statues.
1t will lead to litigation lasting many
years, with the chances all in favor
Of the trust, during which time th1
trust would continue robbing the
public. There is no hope of the de-
struction of the Goa trust by fur
Their investigation. 1t will only con-
fuse the public mind, and serve to
keep il the background the basis of
the trust control of this industry, to
wit: the private ownership of the
railroads and of the land containing
coal"