Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-07-21
PRESIDENT PLANS
DRASTIC ACTION TO
AVOID FUEL FAMINE
Will Give Contending Par.
ties Time to Think
Matters Over.
BELIEVES PUBLIC WILL
JUSTIFY INTERFERENCE
Will Urge Operators to Come
to Terms Voluntarily
With Miners.
CoAI. H>TIoNING THpEArENEp
Secretary Hoover Works on scheme
to Relieve the Critical
Shortage.
BELIEVES PUBLIC WILL
JUSTIFY INTERFERENCE
'">L H,TioNrNG THREATENED
Secretary Hoover Works on scheme
TO Relieve the Critical
Shortage.
ii
Try United News.1-

WASHINGTON. July 20.-Prcsident
Harding before taking drastic steps
TO bring an end to the coal strike will
give the contcnding parties time to
think matters over. This was ind-
Gated in a statement issued from the
White House late THURSDAY which
included the days telegraphic cor
respondence between Governor
Sproul, CT Pennsylvania. and the
President.
II the miners and operators can
have time to sense the obligations in
volvcd. says the President drastic
steps may be avoided. II executive In
reference becomes necessary, 1t will
be justified in the publ!c's opinion.
Commi.sIon Is Planned.
Further. tho President indicates
that he will propose a new plan for
commission to study the whole sit
uation with View OF reporting
methods 20 be followed in rhe future.
which will he just and equitable to
nil concerned.
That such a more or less elastic
limit had been fixed for the expert
ment by President Harding, was re-
vealed in high official quarter late
Thursday. with the further statement
that the administration was prepared
to take one OF two steps IL failure
we're the outcome:
!. Urge the operators. In view OF
the fact that their reopening had not
produced sufficient coal To warrant
continuation OF the effort. TO come to
terms voluntarily with the miners
>. Seize and operate the mines II
necessary, but, preferably, apply such
added powers as are expected soon
from Congress 10 cope with the sit
uation.
To Give Owners n Chance.
The position of the government
was reported to be that the operators
now were being given the chance 10
reopen the mines, which they per-
sistently declared during the Goa,
conference would be effective IL the
government wouldn't butt in"
To assist in moving what coal is
mined. the government Will shortly
take over control Of all coal cars and
direct their distribution.
II may be stated authoritattvelv
that the administration Soes not wish
to seize the mines and will do so
only as last resort. 1t will not
stand by. however. TO let the opera-
tors and miners fight II out indehnite-
~. while the nation suffers.
II may be expected that very soon
leaders in the Senate will Introduce
such legislation as viii give ths-ad
ministration new weapons with which
10 work The first thing Will prob.
AMY be introduction of a measur.
something like tho Kenyon Industrial
court plan. evolved by former Senator
hchNon' This plan contemplates 4
court. not unlike the Industrial Court
OF kansas. and the fixing OF A code
or industrial laws TO be followed bv
poth workers and operators
since the President. il Is stated, ,is
now waiting merely for the operators
l" prove their inability TO produce
coal. ana since the administration has
exhausted all legal methods for han
ding the subjects. the next move vii,
come FROM Congress Threat OF an
Continued Ton Page 4 Col ~