The Washington times., 1922-12-24
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Increased Powers Asked Of
Congress to Prevent Renew
ed Mine Tie-ups in Spring
MAGE PARLEY NEXT MONTH
Federal Board Sees No Chance
Of Agreement Unless Nom
union Report Is Obtained
ny Universal Service.


Members Of the Federal Coal
Commission have decided that
they must have increased power
to accomplish the results for
which the body was created by
President Harding.
Investigation has progressed
sufficiently, it is claimed, to JUS
tify the conclusion that another
big coal strike not later than
April, 1928, is inevitable unless
drastic corrective measures are
taken.
EMBODIED IN REPORT.
The dec.sio to request increased
authority was reached yesterday.
It., will be embodied in the prelimi-
nary report TO Congress on Janu-
airy 15. covering the work up to
this time.
Growing indication that the min.
ers and operators will not be able
to reach an understanding in the
wage conference on January 3,
with the probability of p strike in
the spriDg, has caused the COM
miss on to decide to state the sit
uation as IL exists. It will also ask
for sufficient power to break a
deadlock in the conference.
President Harding Is understood
I'd have expressed the desire to in
dividual members of the commits
sion that all measures necessary be
taken to prevent another strike.
The coal operators are still debat-
Ing whether they will furnish the
commission with the da IA and sta
tibtics on mining costs and prices
to the public that have been called
tor, although more than two
months Of the time allotted to the
Investigation have passed,
WORKERS COOPERATE.
John l. Lewis, president Of the
United Mine Workers, has IN
formed the commission that all in
formation on wages and living
costs among the miners will be
furnished. Mr.. Lewis has also inI
dicated to Chairman John Hays
Hammond, of the commission. that
his organization will support any
request for addit' 'onal power.
Competitive differences between
the union fields in illinois,, Indiana
and Ohio, and the nop-union fields
In West Virginia and Kentucky,
constitutes tbs - umhlingi block.
The operators of union mines. sell
ing I'm the.-same markets with the
non-union operators, are unwiHng,
1t is declared. TO submit their fig
ures on costs to the commission un-'
less the same information is OBJ
tanned from the non.'tnion pro-.
ducers. s
NON.UNION ATTITUDE.
While the commission is not con-.
fined to the union fields in the
scope of it's inquiry, the law does
not CONAN anything which en-
powers ii to go in;o the non-union
fields. The non-union operators
have indica' ed to the commiss on,
It is declared, that they will resist
any effort to extend the inquiry TO
their part OF the coal industry.
The differences between The union
and non-union fields from COM
petitive standpoint are regarded by
President Lewis and other officials
OF the United Mine Workers as the
chief obstacle in the way of making
. new wage agreement for the
union fields on January 3. The ef-
feet of such an agreement would be
to forestall miners strike In
April. I'LL
Chairman Hammond has been
Informed that fluc .uatins condi-
tions In coal demand and supply
make 1t impossible for the union
operators ITO anticipate the future;
and that a contract for a certain
length of time with the miners
union puts the unionized mines at
the mercy of the non-union fields
To- s..<