Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-10
COAL LEGISLATION
PROGRAM MAPPED
Senate Committee to Tackle
Question TomorroW-House
Groups Also Active.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Consideration of legislation to deal
with the coal industry will beAgiven
al a meeting of the Senate committee
on education and labor called by its
chairman. Senator PhippS of Colorado,
for 1880 am. tomorrow.
At the same time that Senator
Phipps was arranging for this commit
tee meeting, Democratic members of
the House were preparing a petition
for party caucus to deal with the
coal situation. Repre- sentative Somers,
Democrat: of New York said that he
had a petition containing the neces-
sary number of names already signed
and ready for presentation. II re-
quires only % signatures.
Mr.. Somers said he hoped the con
ference would he called within a few
days. The purpose of the New York
Democrats is to put the party on rec
ord as favoring immediate action on
legislation designed to prevent coal
strikes, and also as favoring interven-
tion by the Government in the present
anthracite strike.
Republicans Ask Action.
Some of the Republican members
of the House under the leadership of
Representative Hamilton Fish of New
York and Representative Treadway of
MasSachuSet have appealed to the
Republican steering committee to
move in the interest of prompt ac-
ton on coal legislation. The steering
committee met last night. but so far
has taken no action on the proposal
for coal legislation.
The Senate committee on education
and labor has before it the bill intro
HJcp1 hN- Senator Robin nf
kansas. Democratic leader, creating a
board of industrial adjustment. author
iZing the President to declare an
emergency i'll the event of a coal
strike and providing for the collection
and publication of information regard
ing the coal industry. Senator Phipps
said his committee also probably
would consider other measures which
have been proposed dealing with the
coal industry. Among these is the
Oddie bill creating. bureau in the
Department of Commerce to deal Will
coal.
Whether the committee will have
public hearings on the proposed coal
legislation will be determined later.
The committee has available the
voluminous report made by the United
States Coal Commission.
Problem Is Difficult.
Senators today said frankly that
the problem of coal legislation which
might be held constitutional is diff
cult one. Congress has authority
only over interstate commerce. Coal
mining is an intrastate industry.
What the committee desires is to work
out, if possible. bill which will be
both effective and constitutional
If the Senate committee decides to
have public hearings. it is expected
that the Secretary of Labor and the
Secretary of Commerce will be among
tho>e first called.
One reason given for delay on coal
legislation in recent weeks is that If
public heorings were started by con-
Cressioh~s committees the mine oper-
ators and the miners would he called
to Washington and the controversy
would he aired at great length here.
There has been feeling in some
quarters that such Il course might
further delay an agreement between
the operators and the miners
The Robinson bill creating a board
of industrial adjustments has been
introduced in the House by more than
score of the Democratic members
of that body. They plan to urge
prompt action on that measure