Evening star., 1926-04-16

President Coolidge's expressed desire
that Congress should enact coal legis
Ia ton in order that the public may be
protected during future strikes has
received general approval from the
press of the country. The newspa pers
point out the need of preparedness to
bene At consumersa nd producers. Many
favor giving the President power to
mediate and assure maintenance of
production.
AS the President lacks real author
Herald Gndependent is of the opinion
that lit is high time 10 correct this
situation" Viewing the situa tion as 1t
exists, the Herald SAYS: Two definite
proposals stand out in the Presidents
mind as essential to effective legisla-
tion--presidentisi authority to appoint
strike mediation board and machin-
cry for coal administration in the
event of a strike. Whenever there is
paralysis in the coal industry. and it
invariab bly, comes at time to injure
the public most. there ia a vociferous
demand for the President TO do some
thing The Columbia Record Demo
cratic) asserts that the Congress will
he recrea mt to its fundamental duty il
IT should adjourn without having es-
tablished protective policy whereby
the Executive may deal effectively
with emergencies arising from coal
strikes. Legislation should be enacted
empowering the President first, to
appoint to convene q board of media :
tion to effect q settlement OF coal.
disputes. 1t should add section Civ
ing the President the power to declare
an emergency. upon reports of his
Fact finding commission. and thereby
force production. as We'll as prompt
distribution Of this public necessity"
In time Of peace prepare for war"
Is held by the India napolis Star Gnde.
pendeno to be maxim 'peculia rly ap.
plicable TO the fuel situation" The
Star. however. states that the Presi.
dent is undertaking a difIicult problem
in attempting Federal legislation ade.
quate to meet the situation" and ex.
plains: The simplest plan WOULD pro.
vide for board of mediation. to be
appointed by the President. and
authority to operate the mines in the
event OF q strike The latter proposal
presents the difficulties which attended
Federal control of the railroads during
the war. but it would at least assure
suhlcient supply of fuel during an
emergency. The danger of the pla n
miners TO get naturalization of the
mines. with all the waste and ex-
trava gance that would entail" The
Indiana polls paper advises the
abandonment Of the system by which
production costs are based on the op-
erations Of the poorer mines and the
elimination of the excessive number Of
men employed, necesfitating part-time
work.
We want an uninterrupted flow of
coal from the mines. and we propose
to have it," proclaims the Providence
Bulletin independently. which SAYS of
the present movement: 1T will not
be the fault of the President II there
Is no legislation on coal 1t the present
session of Congress. The facts have
been presented to Congress. and action
has been requested. but there is a dis
position 10 do nothing now that min
ing has been resumed In the anthracite
regions. The subject. however. should
not be dropped. for the possibilities of
further trouble have not been elm
mated by the recent settlement" The
New York World independent Demo
cratic) Furthermore asserts that in
this field of activity "the Government
Of the United States has apparently
broken down. One strike Is settled .
continues the World. 1.-The public has
paid the cost OF the strike and added
ha ndsome profits to the industry, and
there Is no va ne reason to assume that
we shall not have another. And Con.
gress does nothing"
4
UphOlding The President. the New
York Hera1d-Tribune tRepubIica n,