Evening star., 1926-01-18
COOLIDGE TAKES Up
M|NE-CONTROL BILL
PLANS WITH 0DD|E
Senator's Proposal Embody-
ing Many of Presidents Ideas
Sent to Hoover.
MEASURE MAY BE GIVEN
o. K. OF ADMINISTRATION
Much Adverse Comment on Failure
to Intervene Is Received
at White House.

During a conference With President
Coolidge today Senator Oddie of Ne
vada is known Ia have discussed the
bill he proposes to introduce in the
Senate very shortly 10 deal with coal
strikes.
senator Oddie contends that his
measure will emhody the principal fea-
tureS of the cost recommendations
made by President Coolidge in his an
nual message to Congress, and besides,
he j. known to he Of the opinion that
it will tend to take care of the coal
siiua ation for a long time to come.
Whether or not Senator Oddie VIII
have the Presidents approval OF ms
measure is not known. The impress
sion is that Senator Oddie hopes to
have the official administration Q. X
when the time comes. but he would
make no comment as to this, follow
ins his conference today. In fact,
the \avada Senator was not inclined
Ia discuss this feature of his con
terence at all He did not think the
time appropriate. However, senator
Oddie intimated that he hopes very
shortly To introduce his bill.
Studied by Hoover.
The coal bill at present is in the
hands of Secretary of Commerce
Hoover. The Senator wanted Mr..
Hoover's opinion upon it. especially
So because the measure creates
coal economics bureau under the De
partment of Commerce.
This bureau will serve as a fact
collecting agency, where information
can at all times be available for the
Government or for any special com
mission which the President, under
the terms of the bill. may oppoint TO
deal with some situation. The bill also
makes provision for dealing with
emergencies along the lines recon-
mended by the President
Senator Oddie'S bill, taken in the
whole. could not be described as being
drastic. but at the same time affords
the Executive and the Department of
Commerce and Labor sufficient au-
thority to deal with the problem and
adequately to protect the interests OF
the public in the event of an emer-
Eency.
May Be Administration Bill.
Some Of those who have seen the
hill are inclined to think that 1t might
turn out to be the administration S
bill when the time comes. They think
that probably the honor of advancing
this legislation, which the President
IS so eager to see enacted, will finally
fall upon the shoulders of the Idaho
Senator The latter, however. re-
fuses to make any comment as to
this possibility. He is very anxious
ia have Congress enact legislation
that will meet situations such as have
arisen in the anthracite coal strike.
Although the country at large
knows fairly we'll by this time that
President Coolidge has no intention of
intervening in the anthraCit coal
strike, numerous letters have been re-
ceived at the White House, since the
operators and miners conference in
New York broke up last week asking
for information regarding legislation
President Coolidge has recommended.
These inquiries. while not critical of
the Presidents attitude. indicate very
clearly that the public. especially in
the East and the North. where the
scarcity of anthra cite is more keenly
felt. are keeping a watchful eve on
the President and Congress. and hop
ing that the former will get behind
his recommendation and see 10 it that
Congress enacts legislation that will
give the President sufficient power to
protect the public's interest during
coal strikes.
President Is Criticized.
1t was pointed today in some quar-
ters that President Coolidge has made
no move since making his recon-
mendations to Congress regarding
coal legislation to assist in the prepa-
ration or passage of bill embodying
his ideas. 1t has been claimed by
- that the President has main
tained an Indifferent attitude, and
hrI 1f.IH tl,C
n the hands of Congress. The Presi-
dent has made no attempt TO answer
criticisms of his hands off" policy.
which have been made upon the
floors of the House and Senate. and
While this attitude of silence on the
part Of the President is not taken as
being unusual, some of his supporters
among the Republicans in the Senate
and House think that the President
should show some consistency regard
Ing this recommended legislation
Some of those who have criticized
he President have gone so far as to
infer that Representative Parker of
New York. chairman of the House
interstate commerce committee which
committee will handle legislation deal
ing with the coal question. has held
up All coal legislation. nd that he has
lone 50 with the sanction of the
administration.
Representative Boylan. Democrat
New York. today made public letter
from Representative Oldtield of Arkan-
sas. the Democratic whip, indorsing
his bill to authorize the President to
take over and operate the anthracite
mines in an emergency.
Senator Copeland again asked the
Senate to consider this resolution at
An early date. He reiterated his be-
lief that if the President would call
the miners and operators into con-
ference the strike would be ended
quickly.