The Washington herald., 1922-07-21
TALK OF RATIONINC
Secretary Hoover Acts
To Give Roads Coal
Priority.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
PROBES CHARGES
Seeks to Learn if Rail and
Mine Workers Plot
To Combine.

coal strike will give the contending
parties time TO think matters over.
This was indicated in a statement
issued from the white House late
yesterday. which included the days
Gov. Sproul. of Pennsylvania, and
the President
IL the miners and operators can
have time to sense the obligations
involved. says the President, drastic
steps may be avoided. or IL execu-
tive interference becomes necessary
opinion.
Further, the President indicates
that he will propose a new plan
for commission to study the whole
situation with a view to reporting
methods to be followed In the fu-
ture which will be just and equit-
able to all concerned.
sPresl Urges Action.
Gov. Sproul. in his telegram. tell.
the President that "if voluntary
production fails Pennsylvania will
welcome exercise by you Of full
executive authority" Sproul also
declares strong public sentiment in
his State is supporting the Presi-
dent and urges that the proposed
commission - representing miners.
operators and public-be appointed
as quickly as deemed practicable.
Gov. Sprouts message to the
President follows:
The President:
wish to report strong public
sentiment supporting your invita-
tion to operators and miners 10 re-
sumo production. / trust, however.
that you are merely Withholding
the appointment Of your commits
sion long enourh to Determine
whether satisfactory production
VIII result. II this does not occur
within a reasonable time, / respect
fully urge the prompt creation Of
your commission, either as origt-
nally proposed or in modified form.
III voluntary production fails. Penn
sylvania will welcome exercise nv
you Of full executive authority
Meanwhile I renew my pledge Of
hearty cooperation.
WILLIAM c. SPRoUL-
Presidenrs Answer.
President Harding replied:
Gov. William c. Sproul:
Your telegram relating to ~
polntment OF coal commission. NOT
"ithstanding mineworkers ana z
minority OF mine operators decIin a
70 accept such an arbitration. is re-
ceiNed- Matters are Temporarily 1,
suspension. because when arbitrr-
tion was denied there wa, bu, On.
consistent thing TO do. as saw r.
and that was to invite prodU-tt.,
hou may expec the selectio, ~
commission. because American w.l-
rare VIII not permit those who as
10 serve IL to deny for anv
oh the supply Of such a nece.-
Ivy as iuei and thereby jeopardize
Ilte and health and happI-
ness moreover. there was a third
party to submit its case 20 ~. co-,-
mission-the great American nuhIie
The prtmary obJe.. was the nror,n,
ana just ending Of a disnute Tho
broader purpose was a searchins, i,-
quiry into the coal Industry. 20 lesrr
All the causes of dispute ana "a
q way to avoid them in the future
"Commsisen VIII Come
Tt may be desirable TO nod,,,
the form OF the commission as orI,-
inaIly proposed. because Il was nrs,
designed TO meet most promptly the
e1isency then existing. wished a
see'iement at the conference table
Where all could be heard and All n.
represented on the commission
IL mas seemed to me that tine
70 sppraise the situation. the opnor.
tunity to measure the unQuestioned
fairness OF the proposal. and sens.
tne oongauons involved. and a pe-
ROO IN which TO resume production.
would either avoid drastic stems ON
the one hand or clearly Justify them
on the other. The commission will
come In due time. There is an s,-
thority above all workers ana oner-
ators, and that authority-rbs
American public-must have an
agency Of effective expression.
Thank you for your renewal
pledge OF Cooperation. and be as
sured OF like cordial pledSe, from
the executives OF most coal prod.~-
ing States.
WARREN C. HARDING
VIII Get Two Weeks.
The government will give IN.
coal operators about two ueek. 9,
which to make a production show
ing In their reopened mines. THAT
such more or less elastic limit
nao been nxeu for the experiment
oy President Harding was revealed
In q high official quarter late yes
teroay. with the further statement
that the administration was pre-
pared to take one OF two steps II
failure were the outcome:
urge the operators. in view OF
the fact that their reopening had
not produced sufificient coal TO
warrant continuation Of the effort.
to come to terms voluntarily with
the miners.
1Seize and operate the mines
IL necessary. but preferably apply
such added powers as are expected
| soon from Congress to cope with
the situstion.
The position OF the government
was reported TO be that the opera
tors now were being given the