New-York tribune., 1922-08-22
Harding Gives Approval
to Measure Providing for
Complete Investigation
of the Fuel Controversy
Leaders s.Skittish"
Over Price Fixing
Little Energy Manifested
Over Emergency Laws
That President Asked

BAo(1AN1lO lO4Ss aug. Zls--elcVsNX
speedily to carry out President Hard.
ing's recommendation for establish.
ment Of commission to investigate
the entire coal industry with q view
to eliminating the conditions respon.
sible for the recurring strikes, tha
House expects to pass such a measure
possibly tomorrow or Wednesday.
The bill, drawn In cooperation with
Secretary Of Commerce Hoover, was
introduced to-day by Chairman Win-
slow of the House, Interstate and For
eign Commerce Committee. Repub-
lican leader Mondell said to-day It had
been approved by President Harding
and would be sent to the Senate with
in the next forty-eight hours.
House leaders hoped to obtain a
favorable report from the committee
tonight, but after sitting in executive
session for three hours the commit.
tee adjourned with the expectation OF
presenting it to the House tomorrow.
The delay is understood to be largely
due to the efforts of Representative
George Huddleston, Democrat, Of Ala
bamas to insert in the measure an
amendment providing for places for
representatives of both the miners
union and the operators on the Feds: :et
commission. 1t was said, howegsM
that Chairman Winslow had sufficient
votes in support of the bill as approved
by the Administration !. to stifie Skis
move. The committee is also consider
ing number of "perfecting amend
yy1o &c Il 1.a11 ~
language of the bill.
What Bill Provides
While this permanent" part of the
Harding industrial program was being
rushed there were no signs that any
energy was being placed back of the
"em ergemcy" measures the President
asked Republican leaders are "skit- q
tish" about proceeding Immediately tq4
legislation for coal price control and
protection of aliens. SO far the extent q
of the opposition to both these plars
is apparently an unknown quantity ard
little can be expected in any direction
until they get their bearings on how
such bills would received.
Representative Winslow's bill would
create governmental agency to be
known as the United States Coal Com
to be composed of not more
than nine members, appointed by the
President. No member of the Senate
or of the House. or persons who have
any interest in or are connected with
the coal industry, shall be eligible to
serve. Each member viii receive a
salary of $4,000 a year. The. commits
sion shall cease one year after the tax
ing effect of the act.
The commission is created TO obtain
information in connection with ques-
tions relative to interstate commerce
In coal and other questions and prob
lens arising out of and connected with
the coal industry.
Report by January
The bill would make it the "duty of
said commission to investigate and as
certain facts in the coal industry as 70
ownership of coal mines, prices of coal,
wages, wage contracts, conditions OF
employment. distribution, waste of coal.
profits realized by owners or operators
of coal mines or by other persons or
having to do with the pro-
duction, distribution or sale of coal,
and any other material facts in con-
nection with the coal industry gener-
ally and the organizations and persons
connected with it, Said commission
shall report to the President and to
Congress its findings of fact and such
recommendations as to methods and
measures as in it's judgment will pro-
mote continuity of production and efTi-
cheney in mining and Distribution. ard
maintain the uninterrupted movement
OF coal In Interstate commerce and
safeguard the interests of the workers,
operators and general public. Said
commission shall submit its first report
not later than January 1, 1923.n
Perjury Specification
The commission created, accordlrp ~
the bill, would have the power to ad-
minister oaths, subpoena and examine
witnesses and compel the production Of
any book paper, document or other
evidence and to take the denosition ~
any person before any one having
power to administer oaths. No person
shall be excused from so attending and
testifying and deposing or from pro-
ducing any book, paper, document or
other evidence on the ground that the
testimony or evidence, documentary or
otherwise, may tend to incriminate him
or subject him to penalty or Yor-
TEXTURE; but no testimony, deposition
or evidence taken under this act shall
elsewhere be used in any prosecution
OF any person who has so testified, de-
posed or produced any such book, docu-
ment or other evidence. But no person
shall be exempt from prosecution and
punishment for perjury committed in
30 testifying, and this act shall not be
construed as exempting any persons
from attending and testifying else
where or as denying the right to COM
pei the production Of any book, docu-
ment or other evidence elsewhere in
any action or prosecution.
Any person who willfully refuses TO
attend and testify shall upan convic-
tion, under the terms OF the bill. ba
punished By a fine Of no more than
$4,000 or by imprisonment for not more
than one year, or by both. There IS
authorized under the bill an appropria-
tion OF 100000 for carrying out the
provisions Of the act
President Harding's message was
assaiied in the House by Representa-
tive HGddleeston as "an unfair. unjust
and prejudiced statement of the situ-
alton against those hard-handed men
{ Of sae country sow engaged in dc.