Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1922-08-25
CONGRESS TAKES UP
PROBLEM OF KEEPING
COAL BINS FILLED
With Jack Frost Only 60
Days Ahead.
BY j. BART CAMPBELL
!. N. S, Staff CORRESPONDENT

!. N. .. Stan correspondent
Washington, Aug. 25.-Stamped
&c into decisive action by the rap
idly increasing peril of a fuel fam
inc this fall and winter, Congress
dropped everything today for con-
sideration Of drastic measures to
keep the country supplied with coal
during the coming cold months and
to prevent a recurrence of existing
or impending coal shortages due to
the anthracite and bituminous
strikes.
Danger Intense
The grave danger OF intense suf
fering and sickness-even freezing
even among those states where
winter Is most severe-dinned into
the ears of Senators and Represen-
tatives alike by torrent Of tele-
grams, galvanized both Senate and
House into graphing with a situa-
ton which threatens to become
even worse than that of the ter
rible winter of 1918.
Gone was the thought of the
Senate concentrating its attention
upon the bonus bill, while the
House did little or nothing until
the tariff measure is out of confer
ence and before it again. Senate de-
bate turned from the bonus to the
coal crisis and to the railroad
strike
Seizure Before Senate |. C. c.
Seizure of the mines by the
President unless the anthracite
strike is soon settled. urged by Sen
ator Calder, Republican. Of New
York, was before the Senate Inter
state Commerce Commission in the
form OF joint resolution offered
by Senator Walsh, Democrat, of
Massachusetts, to empower the
President to take over all mines
whose products are shipped in in
terstate commerce in order to open
them up and furnish coal to the
people. While the Walsh resolution
was aimed at all mines, it was in
tended as a weapon to be used by
the President to deal particularly
with the anthracite situation.
"A desperate situation confronts
the country" Senator Calder said.
1--WE are but sixty days from the
usual period of frost and anthracite
coal must be secured and distrib-
uted soon or else people will freeze
to death this winter"
Follow MilIers' Example
Senator Borah, Republican, Of
| Idaho, chairman of the Senate La
Dor committee said he hoped the
governor of every state threatened
with a coal shortage would follow
| the example of Governor Miller, of
| New York, in calling a special SEES
sion Of the legislature to secure i'm
mediate relief and to prevent a coal
famine.
Borah planned to press for fmme-
date action by the Senate today on
his bill providing for a coal com
mission to be appointed by the
President to investigate the whole
coal industry with view of ma
tionalization" or government CON
troll or a Standardization Of living
and working conditions of the min
ers. The Senate labor committee,
of which Borah is chairman, voted
to substitute his bill for the Win
slow measure passed by the House.
Extend /. C. C. Powers
Chairman Cummins, of the Sen
ate interstate commerce commit
tee, was prepared to also push the
bill to enlarge and extend the
powers of the Interstate Com
merce Commission to issue orders
for priority, embargos and other
suitable measures for equitable dis
, tribution Of COAL" during the emer-
gency which the bill declared ex-
listed before coal and railroad
strikes.
The bill would create a Federal
fuel distribution agency, under a
federal fuel distributor to assist in
carrying out the order Of the In
terstate Commerce Commission and
to ascertain the extent of coal
shortages, profteering and other
disturbances growing out OF the
strike.
Cummins plans to have his com
mittee report the bill to the Sen
ate tomorrow and request immedi-
ate consideration of it. A similar
bill is before the House Interstate
Commerce Commission which also
planned to report it promptly in or
der TO expedite the drive" Of the
administration and Republican lea
ders for early enactment Of such
/ legislation into law.