The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-27

government has yet made to end the
coal strike. it was announced official
" at the White House this afternoon
that the administration hoped to be
able within a few days to make known
its plans for bringing the mine tieup
10 "A close
Washington. June 27.-Ytithin five
weeks the nations great basic in
dustries viii begin to feel the pinch
of coal shortage.
The country. as represented on COM
munfcations from comm erciaI Organi-
cations and individuals in many states,
is beginning to demand action from
the federal government that will end
the three months strike.
Confronted with this situation and
these facts. President Harding took
up with his cabinet today considera-
ton OF measures that viii end the
present "intolerable situation" as one
cabinet officer described it.
Plan Is Not Disclosed.
The president met with his cabinet
fresh from his conference with John
l.. Lewis. president of the United Mine
Workers and the administration two
first heutenants. in seeking settlement
Of the controversy. Secretary Of Com
merce Herbert Hoover and Secretary
Of LABOR Davis.
What measures the administra ton
is prepared to advance and what
methods the federal government has
under consideration for the future
control of the industry were not dis
Closed but apparently. officials said.
the only course open to the govern
ment is the summoning of the opera
tors and miners into a joint national
conference to fix national wage
scale. as demanded by the miners
when they first dropped their tools
some thirteen weeks ago
No other course is acceptable to,
the miners themselves. This was
made clear to the president in his long
conference yesterday with John L.
Lewis and reiterated by the miners
head today.
Joint Conference to Come.
The immediate problem confront
ing the government. as well as the
operators and the miners themselves,
is the termination of situation that
IS rapidly bringing the nation to the
verge of Industrial paralysis. That
the situation is now acute and that the
emergency" is here was no longer
denied today by even the most hope
ful spokesman for all sides of the con-
trOversy-
In the face Of White House silence
as To what course the government will
adopt. the belief strongly prevailed
today that President Harding will
avail himself Of the only remedy pos
* ble-SummOn a Joint conference of
miners and operators to end the strike
and start production again. followed
by a thoro investigation of the indus
try with "A view 10 finding permanent
corrective measures to cure the ever
present ills that subject the country to
privatiOns and shOrtag es. These ills
can be classed as:
/. over development of the industry.
,. Intermittency OF employment.
g. Faulty methods of storing and
TRANSFORMATION.
The pressure on the White House
and upon congress for immediate &C
tion to end the strike is countrywide
in scope and tremendous in volume.
Congressman and senators as well
as the chief executive and cabinet Of
ficers are being daily bombarded with
Geographic and mail protests against
the strike being permitted to con-
tinue.
II was pointed out in behalf of
President Harding that the govern
vene to end the strike, but that il the
administrations persuasive measures
met with failure, most drastic action |
was 10 be expected.
Lewis Would object.
If such a conference is called, it is /
understood President Harding. thru
the department Of justice, is prepared /
to guarantee immunity to the two /
parties TO the negotiations so there /
would be no fears of prosecutions /
growing out of the antitrust suits 4
now pending in the federal court at
Indianapolis.
President Harding is understood to Il
feel that recent killings at Herrin, Ill.
show good reason for attempting to
end the strike. in addition to the i'm
pending coal shortage.
Following the White House an
nouncement. John L. Lewis. president
OF the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea. declared the striking miners would
have no objection to a representative
OF the government taking part in a
Joint interstate Conference to eSta blish
new wage scale. He pointed out the
government has been represented in
other conferences but not with the
L