The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-09
Frederick I askin' S Letter
OPERATION FOR, KING COAL

gress creating the commission ~
seven experts to be appointed NV
the president Leaders of the min.
ers realize that permanent good
can come to their people onlv
through rehabilitation Of the ,cnal
industry, and they have promised tn
cooperate with the commission in
every way. They say that the in
vestigation will vindicate all the
contentious they have made as to
the necessity Of wage and WORKING
agreements on national basis.
The operators were not 50 keen
for the investigation, but they haye
agreed to it and there is no reason
to doubt their good faith. A large
element among them is alive to thu
fact that some reforms or changes
must be worked out in the coal in
dustry.
Public'S Interest Is Vital
The public's interest in the work
, about to~be undertaken by the COM
mission is vital, although MANY
people may be prone to iump to
the conclusion that everything ia
all right now that the strike is over
The total cost of the dislocation in
the great fuel industry will not be
known for months, but as the
weeks go by and winter conditions
are confronted it will become more
and more clear that the bill is an
outrageous one and>hat steps must
be taken to guard against repe-
tition of the crisis that developed
this summer.
Every line of industry and busi-
ness and almost every household in
the country will feel the effects OF
the coal controversy and if the
general public comes to the con-
clusion that the same unfortunate
state of affairs is constantly immi-
nent unless something is done it is
q foregone conclusion that some
thing will be done.
| Much Will depend upon the
diagnosis OF the experts and that
In turn depends upon the experta
They are called upon for a report
on the industry as a whole with
special reference to means of stab
ilizing production, and under this
head comes 1.-THE ACCESSIBILITY Of leg
islation having to do with govern
ment or private ownership. regu-
lation or CONTROL"
This Is where the major opera
ton on Old King Coal may come
in. Naturalization or government
ownership of the mines has long
been advocated by most OF the min
ers and by a certain public group,
but this is the first time that the
proposal has been in any way rec
ognized by congress. 1t may be
said that there are few if any real
supporters Of this proposal in con-
gress, or in any other branch OF
the government. but the significant
fact remains that the proposal is
now to be considered most serious
ly.
Short of naturalization OF the
mines a minor operation may be
recommended in the way of govern
ment control of the industry along
the same lines that the Transports
ton in dustry is regulated through
the interstate commerce commits
sion and the United States railroad
labor board.
Indeed, the railroads and coal are
so closely identified that it may be
Il Il &-yten n 10
as one proposition. The railroads
consume 80 per cent Of the coal
that is produced, and they haul
practically every ton of it that is
used by other consumers. Admit
tedly distribution is one Of the
most important phases of the coal
problem and little can be done to-
ward stabilizing the industry until
it has been solved.
Only the extremely sanguine will
expect any action by congress op
, the subject for many months to
come. The commission has year
in which to do its work, and :. -
quite within the bounds of proba-
bilities that an extension of this
time will be asked, while after its
+! diagnosis or report has been sub
United congress will undoubtedly
! be slow to act if the commission
; recommends anything at all radical
! or revolutionary If the time re-
quired to pass the new tariff law
may be taken as guide no step so
| extreme as government ownership
could be taken within the next de-
: cade.