Evening star., 1922-04-07
HANDS OFF: STRIKE,
OFFICIAL ATTITUDE
Impression Prevails WaIkout
Considered as Holding
No Threats.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

The governments attitude toward
the coal strike is unique. Converse
tions with cabinet officers reflect an
Is in contrast to the mood of the gov
ernment on occasions Of previous IN
dustrial trouble.
Asked whether the government will
take a hand if a coal famine results.
cabinet members say they expect no
famine. Would the government take
a hand If the coal supply Is exhausted
and prices are raised? To TINS. TOO,
comes the calm answer that of course
the administration would not look
with favor upon such a course II pur-
sued by the operators and that IL
would be most unfortunate II the con-
! sumner suffered-but no prediction Is
| made that even on that occasion the
| government would be justified IN IN
!! tervening.
Altogether one gets the impression
! in government quarters that the coal
strike is regarded from a purely eco,
nomic viewpoint as not an unmlxeo
blessing. One cabinet official declines
| even to call the present SUSPENSION OF
work strike" He refers TO II as
IAN extended conversation" He says
both sides will understand each other
better when the disagreement is set
| tied. There's no harm in what's pelng
| done, no suffering anticipated, no serl-
| Gus outcome to be feared-this is the
| attitude of officials toward the coal
! situation. and it is pointed out that
| both sides have resources Sufnclent TO
deal with a long period of idlenesS at
| the mines.
| Chance to Use Surplus.
The truth is there is surplus OF
coal. The operators want to get rla
of it, The strike gives them that
! oh q
the miners feel the operators Will
| be more reasonable about wages ana
working conditions. Maybe the op-
orators will be-they will have to
for coal and they. will not be able
to suspend production indefinitely.
| But if they raise prices. government
officials hint that imported coal may
market Possibly the tariff will cure
| it. but with the cheap cost of trans
| portation even a tariff. 1t is contended,
! would not keep out coal if domestic
prices were unduly inflated.
| So the government sits calmly oy:
!, confident that the economic laws OF
| supply and demand will in due time
right the present situation ana send
! the miners back to the mines on
| basis mutually satisfactory to en-
| ploye and employer.
From the White House, incidental
| ", comes the information that the
President doesn't regard the present
as an emergency. Plenty of coal is
available and more will have been
produced by the non-union mines
| during the strike. There is every in
dication. on the other hand, that the
| administration feels 1t is keeping its
| pledge made to the business men in
the last campaign that it would not
use it's power to interfere in labor
difficulties. The wartime statutes
| which were employed to stop the last
coal strike are now off the books.
Presidents Powers Limited.
Really the chief executive has no
power except moral influence any
| way to bring the conte nding forces
together, but it is deemed wiser by Mr..
| Harding not even to exercise that
The idea seems to be to let employer
and employe fight it out after a rea-
, sonable effort at mediation has been
| made The 'tgovern1nentp feeas~it. has
done all the suggesting and coaxins
that 1t ean- 1t still commends the
proposal of joint conference. but Is
not begging either side to attend.
| The effect of the admin Stra tiOn Nnl