Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1922-08-18

cut when no passion sways, when
no preiudices influence, when the
whole problem may he appraised and
the public welfare may be asserted
against any and every interest
which assumes authority beyond
that of government itself"
Meanwhile the President indicat-
ed, the government is prepared to
insure maintenance of transporta
zion, whatever comes.
The Message
Washington, Aug. 1S.-President
Harding in his message to Con
sress this afternoon on the indus
trial situation, spoke as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Congress:
at Is manifestly my duty to
bring to your attention the indus
trial situation which confronts the
country. The situation growing out
of the prevailing railway and coal
mining strikes Is so serious, so
menacing to the nations welfare,
that | should be remiss II | failed
frankly to lay the matter before
you and at the same time acquaint
you and the whole people with such
efforts as the executive branch of
the government has made by the
voluntary exercise of its good of
fees to effect a settlement.
"The suspension of the coal in
dustry dates back to last April l.,
when the working agreement he
tween mine operators and the Uni
ted Mine Workers came to an
end. Anticipating that expira-
ton of contract, which was negoti-
ated with the governments sane
ton in 1920, the present administra
ton sought. as early as last Octo-
Der, conferences between the oper-
ators and miners in order to faciH-
tate either new or extended
agreement in order to avoid any sus
pension of production when April
| arrived At that time the mine
workers declined to confer, though
the operators were agreeable, the
mine workers excusing their declin-
alton on the ground that the union
officials could have no authority to
negotiate until after their annual
convention.
"A short time prior to the eXpiy-
alton of the working agreement the
mine workers invited a conference
with the operators in the central
competitive field, covering the
states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indi-
ana and Illinois, and in spite of tho
union declination of the govern
mont's informal suggestion for the
conference, five months before, the
government, informally but sincere
ly commended the conference, but
it was declined by certain groups
Of operators, and the coal mining
controversy ended in the strike Of
April /. 1t was mistakenly made
nationwide, so far as the organized
mine workers could control, and in
Guided many districts in the bitum-
nous field where there was neither
grievance nor dispute, and effected
a complete tie-up Of the production
in the anthracite field
ut is to be noted that when the
suspension began large stocks Of
coal were on hand, mined at wages
higher than those paid during the
war, there was only the buying i'm
PEELED by necessity, and there was
a belief that coal must yield to the
postwar readjustment. When the
stocks on hand began to reach such
diminution as to menace industry
and hinder transportation, approXi-
mately June l, oyeTtures were mi
tiated by the government in the
hope of eXpediting settlement None
of them awaited Individual and dis
trict tenders Of settlement on the
part of operators in some instan-
ces, appeals for settlement-were
unayailing The dominant groups
among the operators were insistent
on having district agreements; the
dominant mine workers were de-
handing a nationwide settlement.
The government being without au,
thority ~ enforce strike settle
ment in the coal industry, could
find no way OF adjustment.
Accordingly, a conference OF the
coal operators associations and the
general and district officials Of the
United Mine Workers was called to
meet in Washington on July l. The
designation of representation was
left to the officials of the various
organizations, and there was nation
wide representation, except from
the non-union fields Of the country.
Before the joint meeting l expressed
the deep concern of the country and
invited them to meet at a confer
ence table and end the disputes be-
tween them. The conference did
not develop even a hope, The oper-
ators were asking for their district
or territorial conferences; the work
ers demanding national settlement
on old basis. Appraising correctly
the hopelessness of the situation, ]
again invited both operators and
workers to meet with me and ten
dered a means of settlement so just
" inspired that it was difficult to
see how anyone believing in indus
trial peace and justice TO all con-
cerned could decline it. In sub
stance, it called on the operators to
open their mines, on the mine work
ers to resume work at the same pay
and under the same working condi-
tons as prevailed at the time the
strike began. In turn the govern