San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-19
COOLIDGE HAS
| WAY TO BREAK
COAL WlALk0UT.
Tells Newspaper Men to
Broadcast News Of No
Coal Shortage.
MEANING IS SHOWN
Substitution Of Soft Coal
and Fabricated Fuel to
Be Possible.
MEANING IS SHOWN
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

Copyright py Inc Dan Antohio "She
Washington, ID. C., Aug. 1S.-Even
| il there should be a suspension OF
twork in the anthracite field Septem-
Dser 1. when the present contract be-
tween the operators and the miners ex-
pires, the strike would be "a short
horse and soon curried."
The reason for that conclusion is
not grounded on any growth of amity
or mutual consideration on the part
of the miners and the operators. They
probably will continue to love each
other about as deeply as an East Side
New Yorker loves the occupants of a
rubberneck wagon. But any interrupt
| ton of operations in the mines will be
short because the United States gov
eminent is lying in wait for the melee
to begin. armed with a knotty and
heavy club and a disposition to use
l. it Unfortunately.
The fact that there would be no
long continued coal strike practically
was assured when President Coolidge
told Washington newspapermen to
broadcast to the country that there
would be no suffering for coal next
winter such as was felt last year.
Most of the correspondents construe:
the statement to mean that the Presi-
dent was merely expressing confidence
in his own ability to accommodate the
difference between the parties to the
anthracite controversy. He was really
stating what he knew to be the fact.
Means at Disposal.
Definite arrangements already had
been made to flood the great anthracite
consuming centers if a strike should
be called. with bitnminous coal. coke
and fabricated fuels. So that might
have been guessed from the Presidents
request to the newspapermen to do
what they could do toward preparing
the public mind for the reception OF
anthracite substitutes.
The significance of the statement
was largely lost. however. because the
country had accustomed itself to think
ing Of military measures and govern
ment operation of the mines as the
means of breaking a strike.
This correspondent learned today the
facts upon which the Presidents con-
fidence rested. The government. using
the coal commission as its sledge, has
2Sslyen a wedge between the anthracite
4dustry and the bituminous industry,
alternating operators and miners of the
one field from their brethren of the
other. A group of railroad executives
then was talen into the conference
and an arrangement was made by
which the mines would deliver prac-
tically unlimited quantities of soft coal
to the railroads which would run it on
clear track schedule to the relief of
<ho saatsnns offaotaJ hr fba cfr,to
This arrangement is the thing that
will quickly break the back Of strike
If cooler councils should not prevail
and the miners should throw down
their tools.
News seeping outward from the in.
ner circles is that President Coolidge
had nothing to do with making the
arrangement. 1t was sewed up. If not
before he became President. Mt least
before he returned from Marion and
settled down to attack the presidential
problems before him. Yet it is one Of
the gracious gifts Of the lucky star
under which Washington is beginning
TO believe Calvin Coolidge was born.
Whether the strike is avertpd or is
called and quickly snuelched. the
credit will go 10 Coondoe.
ODDOSeS Check-nm system.
It appears that the President has
not even yet burdened himself with
anv LARGE measure Of responsibility
and that he has bothered not ut NIL
with the details of adjustment. In
one particular however. Mr.. Coolidge
has exerted a powerful influence. Hc
is said 10 have told the coal commits
sion that be onnosed the check-ofi
systau. on nrincinIe.
The word reached the dominating
powers in both camps and they de.
cided to surrender gracefully what
they realized would be taken away
from them later on if they resisted
The checli-off system is the main thing
Hwhich the miners and operators
have differed rs matter of principle
The United Mine Workers used it as
means of forcing the operators t.
hold out of each miners wages the
amount he owed the union. II was ar
alright device for keeping members
from escaping from the union by the
non-payment of dues route. The op
orators professed ardent opposition D.
it. hut none the, less they used il fol
their own purposes. checking of
against the miners wages everything
that he owed the COMPANY for sunnlic'
or otherwise. The general opinion i
that the agreement to abandon tbs
check off system will deal the miners
much harder blow than II does the
GENERATORS. The onarators can find
other means of collecting their money
The most likely method is to force :
ray-in-advance or shift for yoursel
system The miners viii have to rely
upnn the nresert expensive and uncer
tain system of STATIONERY watchers
at each shaft TO check up on eact
miner once n month.
A
uIICE IIIMRER DEAL