Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-25
SOUTHLAND FEELS
BREATH Of WINTER
AFTER GREAT HEAT
From White House Down,
Agencies viii Cooperate
to Prevent Suffering Soft
Coal Strike Considered

WASHINGTON, Aug. %. = Az
though not yet ready to reveal the
full scope of it's plans, the United
States government is preparing te
move decisively to prevent serious
consequences from the threatened
suspension of anthracite production
September /.
Not only will the railroads, the
soft coal producers and the. state
governments be expected to do what
they can to minimize suffering and
decentralization of industry, but fed
eral officials IN every agency from
the white house down will stand
ready to throw the weieht of their
authority into the balance if it be-
| comes necessary.
In the preparations now being
! made for eventualities the POSSIBLE
| ity of averting a final break be-
| tween the operators and miners has
been almost completely submerged.
! There was no indication in any
quarter today that further overtures
for a settlement Were in prospect.
although the coal commission
which already has interviewed with
out success, continued in session.
| 1t was said to be at work on re-
port to President Coolidge.
Governors Conference Called
The general dimes of the admins.
| tration plan for supplying bitumi,
nous coal and reserve anthracite
stocks to the sections which would
be most affected by the September
1 shutdown probably will not be
revealed until the governors of the
| 11ro off states
with federal officials and railroad
| representatives in New York next
Tuesday. Federal Fuel Distributor
| Wadeigh, who called the confer
| ence after a visit to the white house,
| today gathered together all avallable
| information bearing on available
supplies and transportation and pre-
pared to act in cooperation with the
| interstate commerce commission 10
carry a comprehensive relief pro-
gram into effect.
Meantime it was learned that
should any legal action become neces-
| sary IN the part Of the federal gov
eminent, the department of justice
would be found in a state of com
plete preparedness. There is no
| legal authority, in the view of offi-
| Gals, for forcing a continuation or
work after September 1 in the an
| thracite mines, but it is held that
| there is sufficient ground for any
action which might become neces-
sary to prevent disorders. Justice
department officials declined today to
discuss the subject, but there were
indications that steps already had
been taken to learn the exact state
of affairs in the anthracite fields and
| to keep in touch with all develop
ments hereafter.
Sympathetic Strike
Recently Attorney General Daugh-
erty talked over the whole subject
with the president and afterward de-
clined to hazard guess as to
whether the situation would take
such a turn as would warrant in
! junction proceedings. Since then, no
law official Of the government has
had anything further to say about
anthracite.
Many reports of a possible sympa
thetic strike on the part of bitumin-
Gus miners after September 1 have
! been circulated in the whirlpool OF
rumors and sp cculation that sur
| rounds the preparations of the gov
eminent, but if such a development
! is in prospect the government has
| no authoritative knowledge of it. 1t
| is considered unlikely by most Off
Gals that the union leaders Of the
| bituminous men would sanction
walk out under the circumstances,
but even that possibility has not been
lost sight of in the general co-opera-
ton Of all federal agencies to place
the government in a position where
1t can fully protect the public in
| terest