The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-13
By THOMAS l.. STOKES Speciai Wire to The Age-HeraId)


 tSpecini Wire to The Age-Herald)
 WASHINGTON, August 12.-Presi- dent Coolidge and his cabinet will So immediately into the difficult anthracite coal muddle at their first formal meeting next Tuesday, and some decision as to the government's $ course is expected to be made. Less than three weeks remains before the old wage agreement expires August 3l, when strike is likely to be called.
 As yet, MT. Coolidge has com mitted himself to no policy. How ever he is expected to have some very definite suggestions to lay be- fore the government heads. From his past record and the course hitherto followed by the administration. it is certain that the new President will not permit a strike if it is possibly can be prevented.
 He will have the counsel of two members of the cabinet, who are inti- mateIy concerned with strike, Sec IeUaries Hoover and Davis-both of whom are thoroughly acquainted with the issues at stake. Davis ar rlVes here Monday. He is expected to urge conciliatory measures as first step. lie and Hoover went into the sluSe centers last year during the tieup in an effort to effect peace.
 O O o
 Hammond Is Advlser.
 Beside the advice of the cabinet Mr. coolidge has been acquainted with the factors i'll the present con trUNersy by the coal commission, through it's chairman, John Hays Hammond. who has conferred with hlm in the last few days. From other gov ernment officials he has learned of the transportation prop lcms to be encountered in moving coal. Several members of Congress from New England have poured into his ear tales of the trouble which the anthracite strikes caused there last year.
 President Coolidge may follow the lines of d recent recommendation or the coal com mission, calling both cDeraturs' and miners to the White house, warning them that there must be q settlement in the pupHc interest. and offering to appoint an impartial committee to to go lm1o ,i+, ,ne ,ae points at issue. The committee would then make public report of what ii found.
 Lewis Is Blamed.
 The coal commission has It's own opinion ot the present controversy and has formulated what 1t believed should be the government pollcy' Though Chairman Hammond mas probably laid the commisslon ldea berore Presidtpt Coolidge, 1t Is not known whether he IS in aereement;
 The coal commission m prlef olo not intend 10 intervene in the pres cnt controversy without specific orders, but did intend to let events take their course and then throw the whole burden on John l.. Lewis' president of the United Mine Work CTS whose insistence on the check- of and recognition o1 the unioh, broke ID the recent Atiahtic Oi'S conference.
 The commission holds that recog- milton of the union Is a mere subter- tree. as it claims the anthracite m dustry is already 100 per cent or pnnized. The check-off is the con troversial point. The commlsslon roe.ards it as very poor issue. It heIisves that Lewis was forced to accept it by radical elements in the nnion who held it over his head as inc price of retaining his present mgh position
 Dislike Check-Off.
 The commission does not look fa- Vorably on the check-off. Figures 1t has gathered show that between Slo,- OO0. OO0 and 12.000,0OO year go to union leaders through this method of collecting union dues, glVlng the union a huge war chest. In one in stance. it was found that as much as $40 d week was collected as assess ment from miners.
 It regards the extension of the check off to the anthracite industry, or to any other trade unions, as dangerous. The intention of the commission was to let Lewis SC ahead, and after a strike had re- suited. to throw the burden on him by it's report on the bituminous in- dustry, s.f eduled for late September which will show just how the check off has worked.