The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-08-19
HARDING DEMANDS
RIGID COAL PROBE
Urges Congress to Make In
Quiry Into Fuel Situation E
ASKS TEETH" FOR R. R. BOARD

| Declares Administration Will Use All
! Power of Government to Maintain
TRANSPORTATION and Establish Right
of Men to Work.
! Washington, Aug. 19.-President
! Harding announced i'll congress anu to
| ne country his administration, having
| exhausted every means for a settle
,lent of the rail and coal strikes, now
vas resolved Ito use all the power OF
! he government to maintain transpor-
fatiOn and sustain the right of men
10 work.
Accounting for his course during the
recent troubles, in an address TO the
senate and house, the president said
l.e did not propose to ask for any
"hasty action" by congress in the rail
road strike, but that authority should
be given to set up commission to
make d sweeping investigation into
the coal industry ITO reveal every
phase of coal production, sale and dis
tribution."
AS another measure in the coal sit
uation, the president asked for the
creation of temporary national coal
agency to purchase, sell and distribute
coal in interstate shipment as an in
strumentality of guarding the public
interest where private conscience is
inSensibie to a public need"
Groups who take the. law into their
own hands, the president said. and at
tempt TO control for their own pur-
poses the resources of the whole peo-
pie, can only be regarded as perils TO
public safety. He said neither employ
ers nor employees coulC entirely escape
responsibility for the present indus
trial situation, but he condemned in
particular the shocking crime at Her
rim, Ills. He described recent railway
troubles as "a state of lawlessness
shocking to every conception OF Amer
lean law and ORDER" and said the de-
sertion of trains in the western desert
had revealed cruelty and contempt
for law on the part of some railway
employees who have conspired to para
lyZe transportation
rail strike, the president said:
1T is not my thought to ask con-
gress to deal with these fundamental
problems at this t ne. No haSty ac-
tiOn would contribute to the solution
of the present critical situation. There
is existing law by which to settle the
prevailing disputes. There are statutes
forbidding conspiracy to hinder inter
state commerce. There are laws TO
assure the highest possible safety in
railway service. 1t is my purpose to
invoke these laws, civil and criminal
against all offenders alike
Although he pronounced as made
Quate the law creating the railroad
labor board, Mr. Harding said mo per-
fection of it by congress at this mo-
ment could te helpful in the present
threatened paralysis of transportation
but recommended action to make the
boards decisions "enfOrceable and eff
fective against carriers and employees
alike"
In his sharply worded discussion of
the Herrin massacre, the president de-
clared he felt "a pitiable sense of
federal impotence" but could not in
terpose legally to mend the ''mockery
of local inquiry and the failure of
justice which had resulted from The
efforts of Illinois state officials.
A law giving the national govern
ment authority to protect aliens. he
said, would lieve some of the EN-
barrassment felt here because OF the
protest of foreign governments their
nationals suffered in the Herrin
"butchery"
Announcing his decision to invuk.
nll pertinent laws in the interest of
iduStrial restoration, >thp president
used carefully chosen language to ap-
ply his structures to boil employees and
employers.
Surely, he said, the threatening
conditions must impress the congress
and the country that no body of men,
whether limited in numbers and re
sponsible for railway management, or
powerful in numbers and the neces-
Sary forces in railroad operation, shall
~ ~ ~ NiioooC q SouA sc WIN
so imperils public welfare.
Neither organizations of employ
ers, nor working mems unions may es-
cape responsibility. When related to
a public service, the mere fact of or
ganiZation magnifies that responsible
ity and public interest transcends thar
of either grouped capital or organized
labor"
A the same time Mr.. Harding said
he had come TO appraise another ele
ment" in the present industrial situa
tiOn which he held in some degree
responsible for strikes.
Il refer" he said, Ito the warfare
on the unions of labor. The govern
ment has no sympathy or approval for
this element of diScOrd In the ranks
of industry Amy legislation in the
future must he as free from this ele
ment of trouble making as it is from
labor extremists who strive for class
domination"
Supporting his request for tenn
porary national coal agency, Prssi-
dent Harding warned congress al.
though the skies are clearing" in the
coal situation. recurrence of difficult