Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-15
HOOVER OPPOSES
COAL LEGISLATION
Believes Competition and In
dustriaI Leadership Will
Solve Problems.

Given continuous production the
coal.consuminE public Is amply pro
tected by competitive processes within
the industry itself. Secretary of Com
merce Hoover told the House inter
state and foreign commerce committee
Yesterday at the concluding session oi
hearings on coal legislation before the
committee which have extended over
more than two months.
Mr.. Hoover told the committee he
does not believe difficulties OF The coal
industry can be corrected by reeu
latory legislation and dismissed gov
eminent ownership and operation as
a calamity to workers consumers and
the Government
What we must hope for" MIR
Hoover said. lis a greater vision OF
leadership in the industry to the cor
rection of its own difficuities
The committee. with testimony he
fore II from representatives of the
public, the miners and operators and
Government officials interested in a
settlement of the difficulties that have
beset the coal industry, will now dra W
III a bill for presentation at the pres
ent session. What form the bill will
take has not been announced by Rep
resentative Parker Of New York, the
committee chairman.
Predicts Sharper Competition.
THE price and ample supplies OF
coal" Mr. Hoover said. depend main
" upon peace in tho INDUSTRY and fun
ira nsnorta al ion. If there are no
strikes and no lockoutS and n" car
shortages. there will he no famines
and no exorhitant prices. because the
biturinous industry is highly com
petitive. Taking the past three wears
as q whole the great ma iorltN OF
bituminous mine operators have sold
their coal al less han cost. Some
of them made an extra margin during
the anthracite strike. hut they lost
heavily both before and since. In the
long run the anthracite industry must
compete with hituminous coal and sub
stitutes such as coke. gas and oil.
In nv view this competition with the
anthracite will re even more sharp
and effective in the future than in
the past.
The anthracite industry has taken
the first steps OF substantial peace in
the industry over 4 term Of wears.
1t must he the universal desire mat
industry should solve its own tahor
relations anG accept is own reSp"h
sihilities ~ protect public interest. l
believe the anthracite industry is NOV
ing in that direction. These emer-
eencies seem much less likely 10 &C
cur in anthracite in the future by
virtue Of the agreements arrived at.
Our major interest must he the
bituminous industry.
IF that unioni2ed section "f the in
dustry could set M its own mediation
hoard in the same terms as the an
rhracite industry | believe Congress
would be we'll iustif in susrend'nc
any legislative action.
Public Needs Protection.
eff however we are to have periodic
strikes or lockouts. with their accom-
nanvinS coal famiGr; and profit eerinG
the punlic does need protection on
these occs sions do not believe that
ANYTHING in the nature of compulsory
arbitration ie remedy for failure OF
industrial relations. No one ran com
pel either emplnye or employer. The
only thing that we haVa SO far dis
covered that helps in such situation is
mediation by some outside agency,
and most coaI suspensions have heen
brought to an end sooner or later by
such mediation
Mr.. Hoover recommended that an
emergency mediation hoard he an
pointed and that the Government
should AZ all times have all til" facts
concerning the industry currently he
fore il. He also urged that emergency
authority he given to the Int arState
Commerce Commission 20 control coal
distribution in times of public stress.