The Washington herald., 1922-09-13
Sees Great Opportunity
For Work by National
Commission.
REVIEWS PROBLEM
Collective Bargaining Plan
Fails to Protect Rights
OF Consumers.

American chemical industry.
The proposed national coal
commission has the greatest op-
portunity for constructive work
since the war" said Mr.. Hoover
Loss Suffered by Public.
when the public can be made
the victim of infinite loss and suf
fering by such disagreements as
We have Witnessed: when the
whole nation can once every two
years or less be pushed to the
| edge of the precipice of want and
commercial collapse when our
public utilities. hospitals. schools
and kitchens are dependent upon
short rations of non-union coal:
when the Federal government is
| forced to interfere with business
and transportation to secure even
this movement to essential points;
when We are brought to considera-
tion of price fixing against extor-
tion in peace time: when hundreds
of thousands of workers not only
! in the industry but outside of il
are thrown into skimping and
starving; when the nation is made
to suffer the shame of Herrin and
rampant crime that has followed
in train of strikes-then some ex-
animation of our industrial sanity
is called for.
There are two distinct lines OF
problems for which constructive
solutions are needed, that can only
be furnished after more considered
investigation. The first of these
problems is the employer-employe
relationships; the second Is eco
nomic reorganization of the in
dustry.
Becomes Periodic Danger.
The present relationship of en-
ployer and employe in the in
dustry comprises a periodical ma =
tional danger, because with ma
tional organization and national
disagreement, it means national
stoppage. In the end, the issues of
the struggle are consciously or ur-
consciously imposed by pincnirS the
welfare of 90 per cent of the com
munity who are not parties 10 the
quarrel. And through subsequent
prices the public pays the bill. The
public therefore has a right to Il
voice in this whole business.
We must discover the machin-
cry by which fair play can be de-
livered to all sides. We must have
continuity of production IN this
essential commodity under righte-
Gus conditions of employment 1:
We are to maintain the welfare of
the nation at all.
Collective Bargaining Fails.
Il believe such commission
would find that collective bargain
ing. conciliation, and arhitratl on
aSfS 10
ization have in sequence broken
down in this industry. in connec-
tion with the recent strike we find
situations new in industrial rela-
tions. Under freedom from the
restraint of trade laws the work
ers' organizations have grown in
strength. solidarity and devotion;
they have shown able leadership.
whereas the organization of EN-
ployers for the purpose of collective
bargaining has been to large de-
gree destroyed by the action of
these very laws. The recent agree
ment in the bituminJus industry
was determined by only ij per cent
of the employers. and this minor.
itys decision controlle Il the whole.
Proof that the conception of
dustry has failed upon it's pres
ent basis to secure any assur-
ance of protection to :he public,
gaining must be controlled in the
| public interest, even if II served
to prevent stoppasc.
Rights On Both Sides.
There are a great many rights
that have grown up around these
Industrial relations. Workers have
a right to organize to protect and
! improve wages and conditions OF
labor. They have a right to collec-
tive bargaining. They have a right
to strike. They have a right to re-
fuse to join such organizations
They have a right to work without
intimidation and assault. Employ
ers have right to refuse to rec
ognize such organizations. They
have right to lockout. They have
a right to keep upon shop. No one
seriously denies any of these rights
but a lot of people are overlooking
a superior right. That is the right
OF the public to continuous sup
ply of its vital necessities and serv-
ices upon terms fair to the employer
and employe. When these various
rights infringe upon the public
right. then the dominant right is
public right.
The problem cannot be solved by
treatment of employment relations
There is essentially the need for
constructive thought that will de-
wise remedies for a multitude of
evils that give rise to great indus
trial wastes, and breed much of the
employment difficulties. They bring
great burdens upon the public
workers and operators.
There are $500 too many BIZ
luminous mines and 100000 too
many people in the business. This
waste of labor. of capital. and OF
coal levies tremendous tributa on
the entire country. Investment in
the industry is extremely specuIa-
tive. Distribution costs are exces-
sive. The operators vibrate between
bankruptcy and high profits. And
the public in ordinary times is pay
ing lar more for it's coal than
would be necessary from a stabi-
lized industry.
The largest contributor to over
expansion of the industry is now
the almost regular biennial quar-
rel with its undue prior demand
for coal and its subsequent short
age with temporary high profits.
This results in intermittent opera
tion of many mines at a loss in the
lean period between strikes or
threats of strikes.
Intermittent operation also