Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-29
MINERS MUST
COME DOWN A
!. PEG-HARD|NC
Congress Gets Problem
When House C%onvenes,
President Announces.
Big Problem of Strike
National Dictation,
Tells West Governor.

Lansing. Mich. July 2S.-A letter
from President Harding to Governor
Groesbeck. received Friday declared
in effect that the federal government
is powerless to interfere with the at
titude of the United Mine Workers of
America towards independent local
agreements; that at present negotia-
ton can not be maze to enable men
willing to work in safety. and that
the big issue in the coal strike dispute
is national dictation, "unhesitatlngiy
assumed by the mine. workers which
must be taken care of by legislation
The presidents letter. which was in
reply TO a telegram sent by the gov
ernor last week when he informed the
national executive he was asking John
l. Lewis, president of the mine work
ers. to grant Michigan miners permits
sion to enter agreements independently
of their national affiliation and return
TO work. said:
Can Assure Men Safety
Il don't know whether you have the
persuasive power to effect a voluntary
agreement in Michigan, but I think
il fair to assume you would not en-
force such an agreement. For the
present. in the absence of law to qua
rantee service in the public welfare
we can only take steps necessary to
enable men willing TO work to do so
in perfect safety. I do not think this
means an armed guard at the mouth
of every mine. It does need the as
surance that state authority, and fed
eral authorities. whan needed will pro
III r-ao~c 80 vrnfnnt nUnru r1cD IN
the pursuit of lawful employment
at is a matter of record" the pre-
sident wrote. chat coal operators and
mine workers in many districts have
been quite ready to come to an under
standing in very short order. but the
policy of the national organization is
hostile to any district or state arrange
ment. This apparently is one Of the is
sues involved and is one which must
he definitely settled. I do not know
of any way Of settling it under the
legal authorities which are 0 posses
sed by either state or federal govern
ment.
Congress viii Hear Problem
"Manifestly, legislation must be pro
vided and I mean to submit the whole
problem to congress at the earliest
consistent time possible after the
house reassembles.
IF the coal producers Of the United
States were so organized that national
body were TO determine the policy OF
every member and permit no sales of
coal except on dictation Of terms by
the national officials, every state leg
i~slature and congress itself would in
%stantIy put an end to such practice.
THE mine workers unhesitatingly
assumed national dictation. 1t is the
big issue involved in the present dis
pute. Frankly I think it must be dealt
with if we are 70 have any security
and any assurance of a supply Of fuel
The governors reply said in part:
There being nc dispute over wages
or working conditions it seems a pity
that the public must be made to suffer
without any justification whatever.
You will pardon me for taking the
position that the national government
has the power and authority to protect
our citizens from the embarrassing sit
uation that faces us. I do not see how
we can concede that such power does
not exist. 7 am writing frankly be-
cause the people are becoming i'm
patient of further delay in the adopt
ion of measures that will spell an early
end of the matter"