San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-26
up TO.STkTES
T: To PREVENT A
E: COAL WALKOUT
Government to Pass Re-
: sponsibility Because Of
Jurisdiction.
PINCHOT IS FIRST
Pennsylvania Governor
Ready to Assist With
g Coercion in Mines.
'PINCHOT IS FIRST
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

: Washington. ID. C., Aug. 25.-The
federal government is trying again to
pass the responsibility for getting coal
.sto the several states. Feeling that au-
Lthority is lacking TO seize mines ana
<operate them, the administration here
will attempt to put into operation 4
splan that was discussed and approved
"a year ago when the soft coal strike
twas in effect.
+ Secretary Hoover is believed TO be
,rhe author of the plan. 1t is that the
states which have plenty of law and
authority shall take the initiative and
lsseize the mines if necessary in order
to get fuel, the federal government
lending a hand wherever possible.
~ The fact that the anthracite strike
eenters in Pennsylvania and that Gov
/ Fernor Pinchot is the kind of n state
Executive who can be relied upon TO
act courageously makes the field for
the experiment much more favorable
than it was a year ago when many
7 governors of various political faiths
/ Ii and economics beliefs had TO be taken
into consultation. In short, the fed
seral government did not feel that ii
sbad the persuasive influence then
(which it now has with the state of
pennsylvania, but should the expert
ment succeed it is hoped other states
swould be inclined to follow the exam
isple of Governor Pinchot.
The formal description of the situa-
btion which one obtains at the White
House is as follows:
Pinchot Will Cooperate"
% "There is one word that will indi-
cate the situation in Pennsylvania ami
that word is cooperation between
ethe governor of Pennsylvania and the
United States authorities. The United
States coal commission will furnish
rGovernor Pinchot all the information
that he may desire and he will coop
-erate with the federal government in
undertaking to further negotiations
and help in trying to reach settle
sment. He has jurisdiction that is
more intimate and complete over the
property and the persons that are en-
gagged in the mining of anthracite coal
than that which is held by the United
States authorities"
The foregoing gives enough Of a
hint of what is expected by the fed
-eral government of the state execu-
.-tlves to show what's coming. The
states will exert pressure either BY
actually Selling the mines and making
new wage contracts with the men or
by threatening to do the same. 1t was
revealed at the White House also that
the distribution of coal would be
handled by the states after it reached
them and that the federal government
through the Interstate Commerce
commission would issue the necessary
priority orders so that coal could be
expedited over the interstate railroads
to the centers of distribution.
Is Pinchot's Opportunity.
.; Naturally there is an unwillingness
at the White House to concede that
the new plan means an abandonment
.by the federal government Of its vital
interest in the problem. The executive
offices here issued the comment that
1T would not be fair for the federal
government to undertake to turn this
problem over TO the government of
each state and il was insisted that
, Governor Pinchot. for instance. volun.
{ .teered 10 come in and help. In fact.
! the President would like to have the
/ suppression conveyed that the federal
( government isn't abandoning ANYTHING
| 10 the states and the states are not
abandoning anything TO the federal
| government.
But the truth is members of CON
gress and constitutional authorities
who were consulted year ago came
10 the conclusion that the federal gov
ernment was without sufficient law
TO act in a coal emergency and that
only the states could do what the
American people had come 70 believe
the federal government could do The
President homes for peace by agree
ment rather than bv any form of copr-
zion or force. but he stands ready IA
cooperate with any state that takes
drastic measures.
. All eyes are now on Governor Pin.
ehot and although politics hasn't been
a factor on the surface. there are
many people here who believe that
Governor Pinchot may win national
prestige out of the coal situation 81
as to become the candidate for vice
president on the Coolidge ticket. A
strike situation gave Mr. COOLIDGE him
self the fame that prnmntnd the Re-
publican convention of 1920 IN select
him for the vice presidency and IL NAV
do the same for pinchot.
-e~<