Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-10
EDITORIAL DIGEST

port of the commission, but il is not
unfair to expect an answer in that
report to this direct charge of goug-
ing and that further charge of cow
ardice both so boldly made" This
fully meets the approval of the
Wilkes Barre Record, which reiterates
that the government must act strenu-
ously to prevent another such eH-
perience, because that "it is incon-
ceivable that millions Of people should
again be plunged into fearful anxiety
and suffering. If the two sides can
not settle differences that may arise
1t will certainly be the duty of the
federal government to take the affair
in hand"
The charge that the Interstate
Commerce Commission did nothing to
prevent cheating and gouging" is
one for investigation. the Buffalo
News insists. The federal govern
ment has tried to keep out of the coal
business. 1t has left to the operators
and the miners the adjustment of af-
fairs. But if things are in the con-
dition they are represented to be by
Gen. Goethals. the government can
dustry will not put its house in or
der, then Congress must set up ma
chinery for proper control The pub
lie cannot be left to the tender mer-
cies of the operators and the miners.
The public should not continue to
! live in the fear of being frozen out"
, The general has performed pub
lie service we'll worthy of the fame
and achievements of the builder of
the Panama canal in his rebuke of
adequacy and the spinelessness of
some of the officials in Washington
which made the coal famine assume
famine intensity" the Buffalo Times
points out. His statement is a
warning against letting the condi-
inh l,a
fuel situation during the recent win
ter a public tragedy. His comments
exemplify both reproof and construc-
tiveness-he diagnoses the disease
| and points out the remedy" The
statement by Gen. GoethaIs that
there is no job which 1 have ever
AIKEN greater pleasure in quitting
brings from the socialistic New York
Call the retort that che may be as
sured that this pleasure is shared by
| many others. Both the federal gov
eminent and the state government
did nothing more than offer gestures
in the matter that involved the health
and comfort of millions of people.
In winding up their affairs 1t would
! be well for them to report, if figures
are available, how many people died
of neglect, incidentally informing US
what profits the masters of the coal
industry have accumulated since the
coal industry was made safe for the
Capt. Kids who own them. Death and
| dividends always go together"
The general 'fsn't the first man who
has said these things" suggests the
Cincinnati Commercially Tribune, 'but
he IS possibly one of the best quail
| fed to say it advisedly. Certainly
he has qualified amply as an expert
in economic engineering and govern
| mental supervision. BY the same
token Gen. Goethals will be regarded
| as one speaking not without author
ity when he adds that the people are
constantly being frozen. starved
gouged by extortionate prices and
made to suffer by an unequal division
| of supplies because there is not
enough courage in official Washing
ton to dictate to the coal barons, and
| incidentally, to other cormorants, cor
| porate and individual, who prey on
| them at will. Not that the head OF
| the government is not willing and
anxious to mend these matters, but
| that the bureaus and commissions
created to regulate them function foI
politics and not public policy"