Arizona republican., 1922-05-25

tribunal created in the proposed Ken
yon Bill to regulate labor affairs in
the coal industry is patterned closely
after the Railroad Labor Board,
established by the law which re-
turned the transportation systems of
the country to private operation. 1t
is designated as the National Coal
Mining Board" and is to be composed
Of nine members.
Three members. constituting the
labor group and representing the coal
miners, are TO be appointed by the
President of the United States and
shall be selected from men proposed
by the United Mine Workers of
America. Not less than six nomina-
tons shall be made by the union.
Three members of the board shall
constitute the management group,
representing the coal operators. and
they shall be chosen from not less
than six nominees proposed TO the
President by the National Coal
Association and the Anthracite Coal
Operators Association. AS the btu
minous branch of the coal industry is
much larger than the anthracite 1t is
assumed that the bituminous opera
tors will name two of the three en-
ployer members of the board but
there is no provision to that effect in
the bill.
The third division of three mem
bers of the board will constitute the
public group. representing the public
interest in the great fuel industry,
and they will be chosen by the Presi-
dent entirely on his own initiative.
All appointments to places on the
board must be confirmed by the
United States Senate.
If either the employees or employ
ers fail to make nominations that Of
fer nominees within so days after
the passage Of the bill in case of any
original appointment to the office OF
members of the labor board. or in
case of a vacancy in any such office,
within 15 days after such vacancy
occurs. then the President shall
make the appointments on his own
motion but he shall select individ-
uals associated in interest with the
groups they are appointed to repre-
sent.
Any member Of the proposed board
who during his term of office is an
active member or in the employ of
or holds any office in any organisa-
cation of coal miners or operators, or
own any stocks or bonds thereof or
is otherwise financially interested
therein. become at once ineligible
for further membership on the board.
but none of the members will be
required to relinquish honorary MEM
bership in or his rights to any in
surance or pensioner other benefit
fund maintained by any organization
of employees or by any operator.
Ten Thousand Dollar Men
The members of the board will
draw salaries of $4,000 a year, which
is the same as the pay of the nine
members of the Railroad labor Board
The term of office will be five years
after the first appointments have
been made.
Coal miners and operators are ex-
pected to do their utmost TO settle
their quarrels without appealing to
the proposed labor board. Section
Of the Kenyon Bill declares that it
shall be the duty of both operators
and their employees to exert every
reasonable effort and adopt every
available means to avoid any inter-
ruption to the operation of any
coal mine which might result as the
elimination of a. labor dispute. All
such disputes shall be considered
and if possible decided in conferences
between the representative desig-
mated and authorized so to confer by
the employers and employees directly
interested.
The proposed law thus contemplates
the application of the principle OF
collective bargaining in the creation
OF unofficial machinery which shall
adjust minor differences and con-
troversies. but when this machinery
4zA sef. H. Il x-41
then appeal must be taken to the
labor board which represents not
not only the miners and operators,
but the public as well.
Three ways are proposed by which
a dispute may be brought before the
board First the board shall take
jurisdiction in case upon the appl-
cation of any operator or organiza-
ton of employees whose members are
directly interested in the dispute;
second, the board may proceed upon
the written petition of not less than
100 unorganiZed or non union en-
ployes who are directly interested
in the dispute in question; or. third
the board may act on its own initia-
tive if it is of the opinion that the
dispute sis likely substantially to in
terrupt commerce" The board may
thus act in any dispute with respect
to wages, hours of labor and other
working conditions.
The board. once it has taken juris-
diction in a case, must render it's de-
eision within SO days unless this pc
riod is extended by agreement of the
parties, and there can be no decision
by the board except by the concur
renee of at least five of the nine
members. and at least one member of