The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-18
HARDING SAYS
He WILL EXERT
HIS AUTHORITY
Government, Having Failed
In Settlement, Will Use
Power to Maintain Trans
portation, Tells Congress.
URGES RIGHT TO WORK
(By Assoclated Press

to the country today that his admin
having exhausted every
means of settlement of the rail and
coal strikes, was now resolved to 'tuse
all the power of the government to
maintain transportation and sustain
the right of men to work"
Accounting for his course during the
recent trouble, in an address to the
senate and house, the president said
ne did not propose to ask for any
nasty action" by congress, but that
authority should be given to set up 4
commission to make sweeping inves-
tlgatlon into the coal industry
AS another measure in the coal stu
atlon, the president asked for the crea-
tlon OF temporary national coal
agency to purchase, sell and distrib
ute coal IN interstate shipments.
groups who take the law into their
hands, the president said, and attempt
to control for their own purposes the
resources of the whole people can
only be regarded as perils to public
safety.
Both Sides Responsible
He said neither employers nor en-
ployes could entirely escape response
ollity for the present industrial situa-
| uon, but he condemned in particular
the shocking crime at Herrin, Ill.
| and described recent railway troubles
as "a state Of lawlessness shocking to
every conception of American law ami
| order"
Summing up the discussion of the
rail strike the president said: 1T IS
not my thought to ask congress to
| deal with these fundamental problems
at this time. No hasty action would
contribute TO the solution of the pres
! ent critical situation. There is exist
1 ing law by which to settle the prevail.
/ ing disputes. There are statutes for
! bidding conspiracy to hinder inter
| state commerce. There are laws TO
| insure the highest possible safety in
| rail service 1t is my purpose to in
woke these laws, civil and criminal,
against all offenders alike"
No Change Now
Though he pronounced as made
quate the law creating the railway
labor board, Mr.. Harding said: "No
perfection of the law by congress at
this moment could be helpful in the
present threatened paralysis of trans
portation"
conditions must impress the congres SIS
and the country if men, whether linn
lited in numbers and responsible for
railway management or powerful in
numbers and the necessary forces in
railroad operation shall be permitted
to choose course which so imperi,s
public welfare. Neither organization
OF employers or working mems unions
may escape responsibility When re.
lated to public service the mere fact
or organization magnifies that respon.
slbility and public interest transcends
that OF either group, capital or organ.
lied labor"
Another Element
AT the same time, however, Mr.
, Harding said he had come to apprise
congress of another element in the
, present industrial situation, which he
held in some degree responsible for
strikes.
4 refer he said, ito the warfare
, on the union of labor" The govern
, ment has no sympathy or approval fol
this element of discord in the ranks
of industry
"Any legislation in the future mus
] be as free from this element of trou
{ Bile making as it is from labor extrem
/ ism.
' Supporting his request for a tempo
: rary national coal agency, Presiden
Harding warned congress that although
the skies are clearing" in the coal sit
E uation, a recurrence of difficulty NIGH
r be expected next April, when wage
! contracts now being made are to bs
t renewed unless a cure were provided
4 for the fundamental i'll affecting tn.
! industry.
/. Speech In Part.
f President Harding's speech follow
: in part: Gentlemen of the congress
) it is manifestly my duty to bring t,
your attention the industrial situation
!; which confronts the country. The sit
! uation growing out of the prevailing
2 railway and coal mining strikes is $,
!. .er1ous, so menacing to the nation
: welfare, that / should be remiss If
@ failed frankly to lay the matter be
n fore you and at the same time az
!, quaint you and the whole people wit
such efforts as the executive brancI
: of the government has made by tn
/, voluntary exercises of its offices to e
. feet a settlement.
The suspension of the coal indu:
try dates back to last April /, whe
the working agreement between min
operators and the United Mine Worl
) ers came to an end
Anticipating that expiration {
e contracts, which were negotiated wit
q the governments sanction in 1920, til
O present administration sought as earl
a as last October, conferences betwee
"a theoperators and miners in order t
n facilitate either new or extende
i. agreement in order to avoid any s.
"a spension of production when April
"a arrived.
), "At that time, the mine workers d
- clined to confer though the operator
= were agreeable, the mine workers e
= cusing their declination on the grour
ie that the union officials had no autho
~ ity to negotiate until after the annu
AZ convention.
~ "a short time prior to the expir
- ton of the working agreement u
s le mine workers invited a conferent
or ., with the operators in the central cor
- - petitive field, covering the. states
- PENNSYLVANIA, Ohio. Indiana and II