The Washington times., 1922-07-21
c AB|N n { 7
IN SESSION.
ON STRIKES
Harding and Aides Alarmed at
Fast Approach Of Indus
trial Crisis.
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES.
Internatisnal News Service.

Confronted with an industrial
situation that is hourly growing
worse, President Harding met with
his Cabinet again today for q
thorough discussion of Govern,
mental relief agencies. Il WAS the
fourth Cabinet session in two
weeks devoted entirely TO seeking
ways and means Of ending the
double menace of the coal and rail
strikes.
Reports Of curtailed train oper-
atoms, slowing down of industry
and troop movements in many
parts of the country were brought
to the White House by the Cabinet
members.
Considered One Problem.
Although the two strikes are recog-
nized as separate problems, and are
being dealt with accordingly, II Ia
nevertheless realized that for all
practical purposes they are interde'
pendent on each other and both must
be settled quickly II the country ID
to escape what Is gloomily predicted
as the worst winter In years"
without coal the trains can't
run, and without trains the coal
can't move" remarked one member
Of the Cabinet. ITO remedy one
we'll have to remedy the other, or
we're Just as badly off as ever"
1t Is the rail strike, however. that
Is causing the President and his nd
visers the most Immediate concern.
Serious as the coal strike Is. the Ad'
ministration feels that temporarily
at least, the burden has been shared
with the governors of the coal.pro
ducing States, and there is little the
Federal Government can do bu,
mark time and see II the operators
produce coal II furnished protection
for the diggers.
The Alternatives.
No definite time limit has beer
set for the troop experiment. Il
was stated emphatically, however
in Cabinet quarters today that 4
at the end of two weeks there ha,
not been coal enough mined Il
piece out the now dwindling sup
ply. and II there are not good pros
poets ahead, President Harding will
resort to other means. In thi'
contingency two courses appear
open:
l. An appeal to the operator,
themselves to grant the miners de
mands until the coal commission
which the President intends to ap
point can get going and produces
something Of a permanent character
2. Government seizure of the non
producing mines, on the assurance
that miners will work for the Gov
ernment on the scale that existed
prior to the strike.
Among growing number o.
Government officials, there Is the
conviction that In the long rur
the Government will be forced u
take over the mines on some basis
They do not believe the OPERATOR
will capitulate to the miners ever
under the pressure that could b,
exerted from the White House, and
neither do they believe that suffi
cient coal to keep the country from
discomfort can be mined without thu
United Mine Workers.
The next two weeks will be th'
test, Il was declared. By that time
II the experiment fails, the Goa
reserves Of the country will be 81
depleted as to compel ,Governmen
seizure, one Cabinet officer pre-
dicted.
Tremendous pressure is beini
brought to bear upon the big eastern
railroads, notably the Pennsylvania
New York Central. and Erie lines
to persuade them to fall In line will
the Northwestern and Southern line
In agreeing to restore seniorit.
rights to the workers--their refusa
to do which caused the failure o
peace efforts at Chicago this weel
Just when success seemed most MP
parent.
According to advices to Govern
fContinned .on Parn z. Column -