The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-01
ACE UP SLEEVE 0E. LAB0n E SEEM BY. POLITICAL WRITER
Raymond CIapper DoffS Hat To Their Strength In Next
 Presidential Election
By RAYMOSD CHAPTER. leaNCi Wire tn Age-ncrnllh ]

WASHINGTQN, June 30.-Labor's strategic position in the coming presidential campaign gives unusual political importance to labor policies recently announced by President Harding, Attorney General Daughter ty, Secretary Of Labor Davis and the United States coal commission. Grouped together, these declarations form a platform on relations be- tween capital and labor for 1921, based on these principles:
 Public interest must receive first consideration in all relations be- tween labor and capital.
 2-Labor and capital have equal rights to organize.
 3-Colleculve bargaining is recog- nized but the individuals right to work or quit work must not be in frnged
 Anu strike legislation is unde sirable
 5-Tr Lnsportation and the nations coal supply must not be interrupted.
 6-Negotiations between capital and labor should be serutinizcd by the government to prevent Conspira- cies and fake controversies" from which the public would suffer.
 7-Immi grafton restrictions must be continued and illicit entry of foreigners prevented.
 S--In war time, capital and indus try must be conscripted along with nan power.
 May Defeat Adninistration.
 Because of the virtual balance of power which labor will hold in the next presidential contest, it's attitude toward these republican policies may finally determine whether the admin istration is tn be returned for sec ond term. The administration will be compelled to bid against the dem ocratic and farmer-labor parties for the labor vote next year.
 At the outset the republicans suf- fer a disadvantage because of the Dausherty injunction in the railroad strike of last summer. This incensed all organized labor. But on the other hand, the per cent immigration law and Secretary Davis plans for futther tightening the restrictions, meet with universal approval in the ranks of laSnr.
 HardinG's proposal to conscript capital and industry in event of an other war might win labors support except that civ william workers prob ably would be included in the plan if ii ever is considered seriously in Congress, and that would aleniate labor support.
 Drastic 4nti-Strike Policy,
 Two developments this week indi- cate that the administration is evolving a drastic anti-strike policy. Chairman Hammond of the United States coal commission dropped an ultimatum in the anthracite miners conference at Scranton, with a letter declaring that the public never will tolerate another interruption of it's fuel supply. Attorney General Daugherty, in asking abandonment of the 226 indictments of coal opera tors and miners at Indianapolis, de- clared that the government will scrutinize future wage negotiations to prevent frame-ups which are cal culated to frighten the public so that minors can get higher wages and the operatUTs s-boUst coal prices.
 Daugherty's language was remark ably blunt, practically accusing the coal operators and miners of such proceedings in the past. Big inter- ests. notably the United States Seel Corporation and allied industries, have tried to bluff the administra- tion into breaking down the immi- grafton restrictions. But Harding re- gently went into Delaware, the home of the trusts, and declared he would rather have a shortage of labor than a shortage of jobs That appears to give Davis a clear coast for his plan to amtnd the immigration law to plug up leaks which have allowed thousands of foreigners to smuggle their way into the United States.