Evening star., 1922-07-25
Proposed New Law
Aims to Prevent
Future Trouble.
WOULD MAKE STUDY
OF NATIONALIZING
Appointment of COmmis-
sion Provided by Sen
atOr BOrah's Measure.

y
industry and to advise Congress as
10 the need and feasibility OF ma
tionalizing the coal mines or the
need of government regulation and
control of the coal industry is pro-
posed in a bill introduced III the
Senate today by Senator Borah OF
Idaho. chairman of the committee
on education and labor.
Referring to his bill, Senator
Borah said that it was the case OF
in time of war prepare for peaceF
The purpose of the bill is to aid in
making it impossible. in the future,
TO have the public threatened by a
coal famine, as at present.
To Get Early Consideration.
LAS soon as the members of the
committee have had time to read the
bill. shall call meeting of the COM
rnittee to consider it," said Senator
Borah.
The bill is the first step taken in
Congress looking to a prevention of
nationwide coal strikes IN the future.
Senator Borah has been at work upon
il for some time. The commission
which il is proposed to create will be
composed of three members, appoint
ed by the President and confirmed by
the Senate. Special provision is made
that no member of the House or
Senate shall be eligible. One member
of the commission is to be appointed
from a list of three nominees present
ed to the President by the National
Coal Association. A second member
is to be appointed from a list of three
nominees submitted by the president
of the United Mine Workers Asso-
citation, and the third member is to be
a representative of the public in no
wise interested in a business WY
with the coal industry.
One-Year Term.
The life of the commission is to be
one year and the salaries of the COM
missioners $4,000 year. The COM
mission must make it's first report
and recommendations as soon as
practicable, and not later than nine
months from the passage of the bill.
The report is to be made to Con-
gress and to the President.
1t is the duty of the commis ssion
to investigate fully all conditions
and facts relating to the coal indus
try, with a view of aiding. assisting
and advising the Congress relative
to legislation, either in the national-
zation or the regulation and control
of the coal industry by the govern
mcnt.''
Function of Commission.
The commission is directed to as
to the President:
First. as to the ownership and title
Of the mines:
Second. cost of production;
Third, profits realized by the opera
tors or owners of the mines, during
the last ten years. labor costs. wages
paid. regular production and sug-
sestions as to the remedy for the
same All kinds of coal mines are
covered.
The commission also is directed to
submit recommendations relative to
the Standardization of the mines
upon the basis of their productive
capacity; the Standardization of the
cost of living for mine workers and
the living conditions which must be
supplied. standardization of a basis
of arriving at the overhead cost of
producing coal and delivering 1t at
the door of the consumer, recognizing
IN this compilation that the standard
ICED cost of living of the miners
must be the first and irreducable item
Of expense.
Question of NationalizinR.
The commission must report upon
1.-The advisability or necessity of ma
tiona1izing the coal industry, and the
feasibility or necessity of govern
mental regulation and control OF the
coal industry"
1t is provided that data or infor-
nation obtained by the commission
shall not be made public except as it
may be made public by reports to
Congress or to the President, or in
compliance either with the request
of the Congress or the President