Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-08-30
Series Developments

| partment Of justice organization TO
| investigate alleged illegal stoppases
| of transportation service incident TO
the rail strike in the west formal
! relaxation of some of the interstate
| commerce commission priority con-
| troll of coal distribution, publication
of federal safety inspectors survey
of railroad engines, and preparation
of official estimates that soft coal
| production for the week IS rising
above 100000 tons. or 100 percent
more than was coming month ago,
! were among developments that
emerged today out sof the govern
nents actual contact with the indus
! trial situation.
| In the midst of these developments
! John l. Lewis. president of the Unit
| ed Mine Workers, whose position has
been a dominant one in the continue =
! ton Of the deadlock which has kept
| the anthracite fields Of Pennsylvania
| tied up, arrived in Washington and
| heoan a series of comic. : shortly
/ after White House expressions lndl-
Gated confidence that the long delay
| ed settlement there was to be looked
| for at once.
Attorney General Daugherty an
nounced that a SEPARATE investigating
organization would be built up i'm
media:ely in Los Angeles in charge of
Hrma c. Todd. United states at
! torncy for northern New York, who IS
! to resign his post at once to accept
this special appointment.
| 1t will be Mr.. Todd's duty. it was
| said. to conduct inquiries in the pos
sible criminally involved in the series
Of train stoppages and Interruptions
| to interstate commerce in the west.
| Likewise, the attorney general cont
formal instructions to all fedora! Gus
trict attorneys to follow up any viola :
| lions Of federal court injunctlonS OBJ
tanned by railroads to prevent strikers
and their sympathiZers from moiesl-
| ing operations in shops and yards.
| The law Mr.. Dauaherty SAID must
| he "impressively enforced IN the
matter.
| There is "a very general let down
I in the matter of inspection cot loco
motive) by carriers, which gives
cause for concern" the interstate
, commerce commission reported to the
! Senate today. answering a resolution
! hroueht out by the controversy be
tween leaders and the railroads over
! safety conditions of equipment since
! the shopmen walked out. me ran
! roads are failing to make all the IN
! spections required by law, the report
! continued, and manaSements are re-
| porting inability to do so because OIL
| the strike. while the commission
| own staff Of inspectors are mere SUI :
! ficient in numbers to supervise ana
| test the carriers inspection system
Notwithstanding, interstate COM
merce commission inspectors during
! July inspected 40S5 locomotives on
| 1852 railroads. finding 24o6 defective
| and l69 unsafe to operate. Many OF
| the defects noted. it was SAID, were
| not Of Importance, but So engines
| still in service were found TO nave
defects in need of prompt at
I tention.'
! 1t was pointed that the condition OF
! disrepair indicated did not, in tn" 'rA-
! crcise of discretion and judgment bE
| the INSPECTORS. affect the safety OF op-
| erations except in the case of the 10
! comotives put cut of service. lt was
| however. the commission said, lmpos-
| sihle for the inspection staff to report
| OH the changing conditions of the a.
| 600 locomotives which come in service
! where safety requirements are cstao-
/ lishcd in the law.
/ ;-in Of hn
! relax markedly and Immediately the
| control on the coal shipments was car
RED into effect by an |. c. c. order
! greatly modifying priority require
ments hitherto imposed on consumers
i Hereafter on special designation bN
! the commission and. its agents Goa
Will be shipped first to sections OF the
northwestern territory whose supply
/ ordinarily moves by tn" Great Lakes
water route. and e. railroads whose
/ needs are pressing to MAINTAIN trans
! poration.
| A second class Of shipments will he
! maintained as entitled to priority
when certificates of state fuel admin
| istrators or committees are furnished
railroads that the coal is meant 1ol
public utilities, public institutions, Co.
nestle and building, supply IF common
/ carriers and manufacture of foodstu1s
! medicines and containers therefor Ihf
! Great Lakes movement of coal VII
| also be continued in priority status IT
| this class supplementary to the spe-
| cial orders which. it was indicated
would issue to insure this supply. Sec
| rotary Hoover. who has guided the
voluntary coal distribation, met today
with the members of the temporary I'd
ministration, assisting to wind up us
affairs. Estimates were made avail
J able to the session that $4,000 cars OF
| bituminous had been produced yester'
| day. which al the average loading
amounts to 100000 tons. or produc.
| ton rate considerably in excess of that
maintained last year. The government
! now estimates that 30 per cent. of ne
| bituminous mines are in operation or
resumin cooperation.
The arrival OF Mr. Lewis in Wash
ington was marked by conferences in
which ne met Senator Pepper. Repuoii-
can, Pennsylvania, and Secretary Of