The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-08-30
STRIKE IN WEST
GETS ATTENTION

ciated Press) "a decision to institute
special department of justice Or
ganiEstion to investigate alleged IL
legal stoppages Of transportation ser.
vice Incident to the rail strike in the
West. q formal relaxation of some Of
the interstate commerce commission
priority control Of coal distribution,
publication Of federal safety inspec-
tors survey Of railroad engines, and
preparation of official estimates that
soft coal production for the week Is
rising above 5000, 900 tons, or 100 per
cent more than was coming up q
rnonth ago, were among elements tha.
emerged today out Of the govern
ment's actual contact with the indus
trial situation.
In the middle Of these developments
John L. Lewis, president of the Unit
ed Mine Workers, whose position has
been dominant one in the continua-
ton, Of the deadlock which has kept
the anthracite fields Of Pennsylvania
tied up, arrived in Washington and
bsgan a series Of conferences shortly
after White House expressions indi-
Gated that the long delay settlement
there was to looked for at once.
Attorney General Daugherty an
nounced that separate investigation
organization would be built up i'm
'mediately In Los Angeles, In charge
Of Hiram c. Todd, United States at
torney, for northern New York.
whose duty will be to conduct in
quiriesinto the possible criminality i'll
'volved in the series Of train stoppages
and Interruptions to interstate COM
merce in the West. Likewise, the at
torney general sent formal institu-
tions to all federal districts attorneys
to follow up any violations Of federal
court in functions obtained by rail-
roads to prevent strikers and their
sympathizers from molesting opera
eions In shops and yards. The law,
Mr.. Daugherty said, must be "im-
pressively enforced" in the matter.
There is "a very general let down
in the matter of inspection (of loco
motives) by carriers which gives
cause for concern" the interstate
commerce commission reported to the
senate today, answering a resolution
brought out by the controversy be-
tween strike leaders and the railrosIla
over safety conditions Of equipment
sstpas ..sksppaael axslksd ent The
railroads are failing to make all the
inspections required by law the report
continued and managements ape.rHau
porting inability to do so because Of
the strike, while the commissions
own staff of inspectors are merely
sufficient in numbers to supervise and
test the carriers inspection system.
Notwithstanding, Interstate COM
merce commission inspectors during
July inspected 4,085 locomotives on
1872 railroads, finding 1855 defective,
and 169 unsafe to operate. Many of
the defects noted, it was said, were
not Of Importance, but 992 engines
still in service were "found to have
defects in need Of prompt at
tention."
The decision Of the government to
relax markedly and Immediately the
control on coal shipments was carried
into effect by an interstate commerce
commission order greatly modifying
priority requirements hitherto in
posed on consumers. HheerafCer,
upon special designation by the COM
mission and its agents, coal will be
shipped first to sections Of the North
east whose supply ordinarily moves
by the Great Lakes water routes and
to railroads whose needs are press
ing to maintain transportation.