The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1922-08-29
COAL RELIEF
BILL BEFORE
CONGRESS
Hoover Warns Roads Cannot
Transport Requirements
Since Fuel Reserves Have
Been Exhausted.
HARD COAL PEACE SEEN
BULLETIN

hdTQlng Stlll D6leVeS LndL congress
should grant him immediate authority
TO take over the railroad and mining
properties, it was said today at the
White House, but he has assured con-
gressional spokesmen that only the
grimmest public necessity would move
him to exercise such power if granted.
If congress indicates unwillingness
to enact the legislation today the
president does not intend to push his
opinion, or to make a formal public
demand for the powers, it was said,
officials adding that he does not be-
lieve that there is any present neces-
sity for action under such a grant.
Believes Coal Crisis Over.
In the light of facts presented to
today's cabinet meeting the president
was said to believe that the bituminous
coal producing situation had cleared
itself up and that there would be an
anthracite settlement in a very short
time leaving the condition of the rail
strike as the only big industrial prob
lem.
1t is declared that the president
had no doubt but that by stretch of
the present established and recognized
administrative powers the federal gov
ernment could in an emergency move
and control the essential public serv-
ice without additional authorization
although for the purpose of allaying
public excitement and clearing the
atmosphere ile was said to feel that
congress ought to make the power
definite and certain by an act
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29-Warned
by Secretary of Commerce Hoover
that the railroads can not move the
country's requirements of 100000
tons of coal weekly. President Hard
ing and his cabinet today considered
plans for insuring domestic consumers
and industry against suffering and
shutdown
Due to the exhaustion of coal re-
serves during abe period of the btu
minous strike, the country now is on
hand to mouth basis. Domestic and
industrial requirements can be shaved
down to $780, 600 tons weekly, Hoover
estimated, but the primary problem
is that of hauling.
Mr.. Harding has been told by Hoo
yer that the task of moving S,500000
tons of coal weekly is too big for the
railroads in their present crippled con-
dition due to the strike of the shop
men.
WASHINGTON, Aug 29-Consid-
Grafton in the house today of its
emergency coal distribution bill under
a rule providing for six hours Of de-
bate appeared to insure a vote on the
measure before adjournment tomor-
row.
President Harding had been assured
by Republican Leader Mondell, that
the bill reported out of committee yes
terday and designed to strengthen the
administration hand in controlling
coal distribution by creating a federal
distributing agency and extending the
powers of the Interstate Commerce
Commission over priority of shipments
would be passed before tomorrow
night.
Meanwhile a more complicated leg
islative situation in the senate was de
ferring action on the companion meas
ure pending there, also reported ou
yesterday but leaders predicted that i
would receive favorable action with
out much delay.
Regulation Needed.
Secretary Hoover, in appearing a
hearings yesterday on the house bill
asserted that some legal method, sucl
as contained in the bill, of restraining
extortionate prices in coal would bt
necessary and Commissioner Aitchi
son of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission concurred in this view. Op
position was expressed however, b,
representatives of both operators ant
labor in the industry.
entity confident that the difficult,
\ threatened in moving the increasing
y quantity of coal being mined due t
transportation conditions can be mate
rally relieved under priority authorit,
already possessed or to be conferred b.
pending legislation. the proposal 70
government operation Of rail proper
ties, as we'll as those of the anthracit
coal industry, had been put aside tc
day.
The president was understood to b
not disposed to ask for the necesEar
congressional authority at least at thi
time. AS to the anthracite situation
reports reached the White House wer
so reassuring that it was indicated a
agreement for reopening of the mine
was expected within a very shor
time.
PHILADELPHIA. Aug. 29.-Defnit
statement that there would be no go
ernment intervention or seizure {
mines. remained the outstanding fea
ure of the anthracite situation her
early today. The statement cam
from an authoritative but conf1dentif
source last night.
Within a short time, according
the source of information and pro-
ably within week, representative
the miners and hard coal opeIa atol
will sign a peace pact and 1890
workers soon thereafter will ;etur
to their jabs.
This agreement. it was declared, wi
overcome the stumbling blocks whic
presented themselves last week whe
the joint peace conference of ninel
:. and operators came to deadlock in th
= office of Samuel D. Warmer, pres
dent OF the Lehigh Coal and NaFg
ton company and chairman of he O
orators policies committee. Ncltht
side, 1t was further said, would hay
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