Evening star., 1923-08-14
Moving for Coal Peace.

President Coolidge. acting through
the United States Coal Commission,
has taken ii first step toward bringing
about an adjustment of the differences
between the miners and the operators
in the anthracite fields. \ meeting of
tho representatives of the operators
and the miners with the commission.
set for tomorrow in New York. may
do much to clear the atmosphere. At
least it may mean a resumption of the
conference between the Cuntending
parties. and as long as they persisted
IN sulllinE in their respective tents
there was little or no chance of Il set
tlcment.
The promptneSs with which the new
President has tackled the situation
gives promise of further efforts on his
part to prevent a shutdown Of the
mines, if the miners and operators
still arc unwilling 10 get together. Tn
der the law the President has no au-
thority today to seize and operate the
mines if there is a shutdown. But he
may use the power OF his office TO
bring pressure to bear to spare the
people the hardship of another strike.
In 1902, President Roosevelt. when
the hard coal strike had been on for
months. finally brought about arhitra-
tion of the controversy by a commits
sion appointed 10y him. If the present
controversy cannot be settled by the
parties themselves, aided by the adj
vice of the commission. the next step
seems to be arbitration by an outside
party. perhaps another commission
appointed by the President. ar by the
commission as now constituted.
The principal bone of contention is
the so-called check off system. under
which the coal companies are to col
lect the dues for the union. Repre-
sentatives Of the miners have refused
10 yield on this question or to submit
il to arbitration. That they should re
fuse arbitration seems incredible.
They could scarcely expect the public
to support them in such position.
The people who require coal during
the winter would be justified in turn
ing on any group of men who insisted
on cutting off their supply of fuel be-
cause they were unwilling to arbitrate
a question as to how the union dues
were to be collected. The people would
not be content to freeze merely be.
cause the union is unable to collect
dues from its members. and therefore
insists upon the collection of these
dues by the coal companies. a con
test for living wage might. indeed,
receive the support of the public. hut
to freeze because of the failure to
agree on the check-off system is quite
another matter.
President Roosevelt was determined
to bring about the operation of the
anthracite mines in 1902 and had ar
bitration not been agreed TO, was pre-
pared to throw the military forces of
the nation into the strike area and
give such protection as would have in
sured at least partial operation of the
mines. President Coolidge, if a show
down comes. would have the same
power. 1t is Il question. perhaps. as to
how many miners would work under
such conditions. But there are those
who believe that with ample protec-
tion men would respond to the call,
and that many of them would be
those now employed.
Authority could be given the Presi-
dent by Congress 10 take over and
operate the mines in the case of
shutdown. In fact. the United States
Coal Commission has recommended
the passage of such legislation in its
report. But Congress does not meet
until December. unless called in spe-
cial session by the President.
President Coolidge at present is act
ing through the legally constituted
Coal Commission. But any desire to
efface himself should not cause the
President to hold back from direct ac-
tion of his own, if it becomes neces-
sary. There is a potency in the Office
of President of the United States that
no commission can possess.