The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-30
Operators and Labor
Leaders Wonder What
Government Will Do.
DRASTIC MOVE
is NOT EXPECTED
Jailing Chiefs Would
Help Walkout,- Is
Declaration.

On the eve of the coal strike,
scheduled for midnight March 81.
the great question facing both labor
leaders and operators is, What will
the government do?'
Attorney General DauEherty has
stated that "one minute after mid
night something will happen" La
Dor leaders declare that II this
something" is 'strong-arm" action
conveying the possible threat OF
Imprisonment of the strike leaders
their walkout will be a success"
But doubt was expressed both by
miners Representatives and spokes-
men for the operators that the ad-
ministration is actually contem-
plating any such drastic action to
stop the strike or force a settle
ment.
Enough Coal on Hand.
II for no other reason, they
argue, political considerations would
probably forbid such a course. But
the main reason lies in the fact
that. according to surveys made by
government agencies, the strike
might go on for ninety days with
no fear of breakdown Of the utili-
ties of the country or hardship ,
the part of the people.
Public service companies through
out the country, having been
warned to put in surplus stocks
have enough coal on hand. general
ly speaking, to last them from a
. month and a half to two months and
a half. Some have surplus suffi-
cient to run them from three to six
months.
Not Worried by Rumors.
1t is admitted by labor leaders
here, that the forthcoming strike
lacks much OF the dramatic element
and force that il might have under
different circumstances. They are
not worried at rumors Of the gov
ernment injecting the dramatic into
the situation by injunctions or i'm
prisonment. They look rather for
somewhat drawn-out. peaceful
strike that ultimately will be set
tied on a fundamental business
basis. with the government proba-
Experience has proved that in
general the Imprisonment Of lead
ers has no bad effect on a strike" a
prominent mine union official said.
Putting strike leaders in Jail
makes martyrs Of them. And Eng
land. for example, has long since
realized that jailinG strike leaders
Is suicidal. Furthermore, this
strike, and any other strike for that
matter. is not the work OF an in
dividual or a group of individuals,
but Is a program accepted by the
rank and file of workers"
Force sot Expected.
In American Federation of Labor
circles it is the conviction thar
neither Congress nor the admins
tration would favo= any drastic
steps to force the miners into a
settlement at this time because or
the approaching fall Congressional
campaign. Such coercion, leaders
declare. would cause organized
labor as a whole to vote as a unit
for the first time against adminis-
tration candidates
The scope of this coal strike Is
greater than is suspected by the
public at this time" one Federation
Official declared. TT will not be
a dramatic strike from the stand
point OF mob scenes. but will be a
silent war bound to involve directly
or indirectly many more than the
mining industry before the trouble
is over.
Others to suffer.
should the strike last through a
number of months. It will be found
that related Industries, such as the
railroads, longshoremen and steel
workers will insist upon representa-
ton in any conference that may
lead TO a settlement"
Labor leaders say too much
optimism must not be attached to
the bituminous coal reserve now In
the county. This coal, they point
out, is segregated in widely sepa-
rated areas, and the very trans
portation Of the stocks from place
to place to relieve unsupplied sec
tions would consume a tremendous
amount of the reserve stores"
M.-n-, norxy TIasr,z