Evening star., 1925-10-15
END Of COAL STRIKE
BELIEVED DISTANT
Former U. S. Official Sees No
Immediate Prospect of
Settlement.
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.

BY WILL r. KENNEDY.
How long will the anthracite coal
miners strike continue? Will we
have legislation on this problem i'm
the incoming session of Congress
The strike will almost certainly
last until December 1-posSibly until
January /, and perhaps until April
in the opinion of Francis K. Nad
leigh. former chief of the coal division
Of the Department Of Commerce. who
was Federal fuel distributor during
the last severe fuel crisis. He is
now in close touch with all phases
Of the strike and has recently been
consulted by Government officials and
by members of Congress.
Because Of his long experience h.
is considered we'll qualified to pass
impartial Judgment on the situation.
"Stoppage of work at the anthra-
cite mines has now been in effect
for over month. with no apparent
indication of the end being in sight
or of any active effort on the part
of either miners union officials or of
The mine operators and owners even
10 resume operations. said Mr.
Wadleigh
From present indications it is
highly improbable that production Al
the anthracite mines will he resumed
before December /. Even if neSotia-
tons should he resumed between the
mine workers and the operators. il
would be impossible 10 have the mines
in operation for at least 80 days. From
statements made by the operators, or
those in their confidence. II may be
confidently stated that the operators
will not grant the deman nds of the min
ers under any circumstances other
than in the event OF some form OF
Government intervention. The oper-
ators. however. do stand ready. as
they have indeed proposed. to arhi-
trate the whole wage question. This
the miners officials have definitely re-
fused To consider
Federal Government Silent.
The Federal Government has given
no intimation of its intentions regard,
ing either settlement of the strike or
of the distribution of fuel supplies. but
Mr.. Wadleigh says II Is believed by
those who are best informed that the
Washington administration is pursu-
ing watchful waiting policy AT
present. allowing the Pennsylva MIA
State and local authorities and husi
ness organizations to continue their
efforts in the way of A settlement. or
at least their efforts TO reach a basis
for resumption OF negotiations.
1t is known that the Department of
Commerce is keeping in close touch
with the fuel situation and has pre-
pared definite plans for the future. to
he put into effect at the proper time.
Contrary TO past experience little
has been heard from the Department
of Labor since the anthracite strike
started. and nothing has been given
out regarding its activities or plans
in the matter.
Apparently the public is showing
comparatively little interest in the
strike or it's possible developments
vet the public should he made to
understand. those who have studied
the situation intensively feel what liz
involved in the present controversy as
regards coal production. not from the
production standpoint. but primarily
and particularly as affecting the con
sumer. giving due consideration to all
three parties-the ppblic interest.
mine operators and the mine workers.
The fuel situation. especially in the
North Atlantic States. Is quite serious
Mr.. Wadleigh finds. The Importance
OF fuel both in life at home and at
work is of such paramount concern
that the public interest is larger than
the individual citizen and householder
seems TO appreciate. Domestic heat
ing is serious problem for those who
have intensively studied the question
Legislation Provided
Members of Congress are coming to
realize that they, especially need a
clearer understanding of the whole
fuel situation and what Is involved in
II. There Is little doubt that strong
efforts will he made during the com
ing session of Congress to pass some
fecting the coal industry. or at lea st
the anthracite section of it,
The President is in favor of having
enacted such legislation as was recon-
mended by the United States Coal
Commission in its 1923 report In a
message TO Congress in 1923 the Presi-
Gent made no specific recommendation
as to the findings and Recommended
tons of the Coal Commission al
though he agreed with the commission
IN Its statement against Government
ownership and opera ton of coal mines,
and in recommending that the Presi-
dent be given emergency authority in
ca Sc OF interruption. prospective or ac-
tual. to the supply of coal and in sug-
costing amendments of the car
rules
Whether the administration will
nave presented TO Congress a bill for
some measure of regula tion of the
coal industry is not known of course.
Al the present time. but other meas
ures will undoubtedly he introduced.
including those previously before Con
gress. Representative Allen T. Tread
way of Ma aSSa chusettS. a member of
The House ways and means commit
tee. Is to have one of these bills He
HE'D in the last Congress "A mea sure
seeking TO establish a bureau in the
Interstate Commerce Commission to
license anthracite producers and
dealers.