The Washington herald., 1922-07-02

Gentlemen of the Coal Indus
try:
/ asked you to meet me here
this morning, with the thought
that in bringing you together
1 might be serving both the
mine workers and the mine
operators of the United States,
and at the same time serve
the great American public to
which both you and l are obli-
gated. l hold no specific au-
thority under which to admon-
ish you, but l do have the
right to invite your Immediate
attention to a situation which
deeply concerns the country,
the solution Of which you col
lectively owe to the American
people.
You who are here today
represent a large sponsorship
for Americas supply OF fuel.
In that sponsorship you have
an indissoluble relationship to
the common veal of America.
Coal is indispensable to
our life as people. and
since this country has afforded
you the opportunity of develop
ment on your part. both as
workers and operators. you
have created, in turn, an obli-
cation to serve. Conflicting
views as to your policies and
your obligations to one an
other in no wise modify your
obligations to that public which
made possible your Industrial
existence.
Lays Down Principles.
Because of existing agree
ments relating to wage scales
and working conditions a large
percentage OF the mining ac-
tivities of the country have
been suspended three months
to a day. 1t is not for me to
touch upon the merits of your
opposing positions. l have not
called you as a partisan OF the
mine worker or the employer.
l do not mean even to discuss
a single phase of controverted
to bring you together and in
mindful of the necessity Of
Righteousness in any useful
and abiding relationship. to
have you frankly and fairly
consider your problems in their
relation to the welfare of our
common country.
1t is pretty generally recog-
nized that there are fundamen-
tai difficulties in presented day
coal production. the solution Of
which is not to be found in an
hour or a day of most friendly
and earnest conference. The
excess development of a pro-
ducing capacity, in both tom
mage available, and miners to
work it, has presented one
situation demanding solution.
or there will be inevitable loss
of property interests and
train of improbable employ
ment. The war upheaval and
all attending inflations and
excess productions have left
an inevitable and unavoidable
liquidation. The intermittence
in employment has made it
impossible for mine workers.
who are only employed par
tial time. to pursue their trade
at wage rates adjusted to
other employments. No indus
try is soundly based, no Ameri-
can activity can be held Sc
cure. where employment is
compensated on a base of half
time or two-thirds of the nor
NAL. natural work period of an
American wage Garner.
Must Protect Public.
There has been instability of
production. attended by a fail
ure of delivery capacity. which
had reflex in speculative prices
and panicky conditions. which
encouraged profiteering, and
menaced our industries and
hampered our varied public
services.
Labor has the right. capital
has the right. and, above all
else. the American public has
the right to be freed from
lhCSt TeNuI lHN dHAlCllCST hO
matter what the causes are.
That freedom must be estab-
lished.
The government has no de-
sire to intrude itself into the
field of your activities. 1t does
feel an obligation to see that
the common American interest
shall not be menaced by a pro-
tracted lack of fuel. 1t prefers
that the two great and associ-
ated interests-mine workers
and employers-should settle
this matter in a frank recogni-
tion of the mutually of your
interests. If you cannot do
that. then the larger public in
terest must be asserted in the
name of the people. where the
common good is the first and
highest concern.
mental problems probably can
not be solved in a hurried con-
ference. But this conference
might well devise the agency
for effecting a solution. This
is the purpose of calling you
together, the beginning of So
luton. Meanwhile, operations
ought to be resumed. With
diminishing fuel supplies, with
menacing shortages as We turn
to winters approach, with un-
employment visiting its hard
ship upon idle mine workers.
and with vast ownership with
out return on investment, II
would seem to be the simplest
common sense to find acceptable