The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-05-12
Labor Board for Coal Industry
BY FREDERIC J. HAskIN

WASHINGTON, D. c., May r.,
The tribunal created in the proposed
Kenyon bill to regulate labor affairs
in the coal industry is patterned close
ly after the Railroad Labor board,
established by the law which returned
the transportation systems of the
country to private ownership. 1t is
designated as the National Coal Min
ing board" and is to be composed of
nine members.
Three members. constituting the Ia
Dor grolp and representing the coal
miners, are to be appointed by the
president of the United States and
shall be selected from men proposed
by the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea. Not less than six nominations
shall be made by the union Three
members of the board shall consti-
tute the management group, repre-
senting the coal operators, and they
shall be chosen from not less than
six nominees proposed to the presi-
dent by the National Coal association
and the Anthracite Coal Operators as
ISOLATION. As the bituminous branch
of the coal industry is much larger
than the anthracite, it is assumed that
the bituminous operators will name
two of the three employer members
of the board, but there is no provi-
sion to that effect.
The third division of three mem
bers of the board will constitute the
public group, representing the public
| interest in the great fuel industry,
and they will be chosen by the presi-
dent entirely on his own initiative.
! All appointments to places on the
board must be confirmed by the Unit
4 ed States senate.
If either the employees or employ
ers fail to make nominations and Of
] fer nominees within 80 days after the
passage of the bill. in case of any orig
inal appointment to the office of mem
Der of the labor board, or in case of
a vacancy in any such office, within
is days after such vacancy occurs,
then the president shall make the ap.
lpointments on his own motion, but
he shall select individuals associated
in interest with the groups they are
appointed to represent.
Any member of the proposed board
who during his term of office is an
active member or in the employ of OIL
holds any office in any organization
4 of coal miners or operators, or owns
any stocks or bonds thereof, or is 9th
erwise financially interested therein
becomes at once ineligible for further
membership on the board, but none Of
the members will be required to re
llnquish honorary membership in Of
his rights to any insurance or pen
sion or other benefit fund maintained
by any organization of employees Of
by any operator.
Thousand-DoIIar Men
The members of the board will
draw salaries of $4,000 a year, which
is the same as the pay of the nine
members of the Railroad labor board
The term of office will be five year!
after the first appointments have her
, made.
Coal miners and operators are ex
pected to do their utmost to settl,
their quarrels without appealing t.
the proposed labor board. Section
of the Kenyon bill declares that i
| shall be the duty of both operator
and their employees to exert ever
] reasonable effort and adopt ever
available means to avoid any interruI
ton to the operation of any coal min
which might result as the culminatio,
!, of labor dispute. All such dispute
shall be considered and if possible dc
, cided in conferences between the rel
resentatives designated and author
lied so to confer by the employer
and employees directly interested
The proposed law thus contemplate
the application of the principle of co
lective bargaining in the creation c
: unofficial machinery which shall al
just minor differences and controve
: sizes, but when this machinery cannc
{ accomplish the desired end, then al