Evening star., 1926-04-07
COAL MEASURE DUE
AT THIS CONGRESS
Hearings to Be Over and Bill
Offered Soon-BIack
Urges Dictator.

Coal Legislation to deal with pro
duction Of fuel in emergencies caused
by strikes or tle-ups will come oii'
of the committee hearing stage -
the present session Of c"ncHnSS. Char
man Parker of the Hou.e committee
on interstate and foreign commerce
which has peen hcl,ins hearings on
the genera coal Situa,ion with the
view of presenting }egisistion to p"o
tect the consume& when pro5uctian j.
curtailed. announced today that the
committee sessions Will he cor D'eie'i
in two weeks, and a bin will be In.
troduced AL the present session 81
Congress. Several members of Con.
gress remain 10 ba heard by the com.
mittee. When they, conclude their
testimony more than q dozen oper-
ators and two representatives, of the
mine workers union will take the
stand.
A proposal that the coal industry
undertake to cure its troubles from
within the industry itself by appoint.
ing a dictator to have "czsristic'' pow
ers. and to represent the entire indus
try before the Government and the
public. was made TO the committee to-
day by Represe ntatNe l.. NJ. slack.
Democrat. Of New York. Mr.. Black
also suggested establishment Of pri-
Vate corporation. financed by the Gov.
ernment under Government control
with power of eminent domain to
seize anthracite mines in an emer-
gency and operate them for the pub
lie welfare.
Constitutionality Questioned.
He was sharply questioned hy com
mittee members asst TO the constitu-
tionality of the Federal Governme Mt
oversteppins State lines and seizin2
q public utility Of a State. Mr.. Black
commended that the seriousness Of the
issue empowered the Government to
take all possible steps TO mine and dis
tribute coal in ar emergency when
thousands of people suffer from lack
Of fuel. This committee should not
be sitting now, legislating at long
range" he said You should have
sat during the strike in cold apart.
ment in New York. II there is
shadow of legal right in national
emergency we should presume that
the Government has IT." MIR. Black
added that any measure deemed neces-
sary by Congress or the Executive
could he taken under the general vel
fare provisions of the Constitution.
Mr.. Black said he was against
''ha nding the public a SOP such as a
new bureau to handle coal matters
for the Government He attacked
the administration policy in the
recent strike. declaring that both Con,
gress and the Executive should have
done something to put coal on the
market.
The President said. Congress. You
should do something And Congress
said. Mr.. President. YOU should do
something.
Urges Drastic Measures.
Mr.. Black said the Government
should take leaf from the hooks Of
corporation and proceed with the
coal industry in high -ha nded man.
ner, even though il need not neces-
sarily 20 about II in an illegal man.
ner. The people want coal and we
should NOT say TO them when they
are freezing. Mr.. Public. we can't
give you any coal, but in few weeks
we will give You nice report on the
coal industry
Similar views We're expressed by
representative Boylan. Democrat. Of
New York. Mr.. Boylan said the peo-
pie Of New York suffered during the
recent coal strike. physically because
they could not get anthracite and
financially because Of the high prices
they We're forced TO pay for substi
tutes. Soft coal rose from s5 to S25
ton" he said. adding that hundreds
of persons were made iii ny gas
fumes from soft coal. we don't want
this thing tied up with red tape. We
want coal mined in an emergency"
Mr.. Bovls told the committee that
he did not see need for setting up
of another Government asencv to
handle coal. declaring that the De-
partments Of Commerce and Labor
are now authorized 10 take care Of
any situation that may arise. even
though not given extra ordinary pow
ere involving seizure and operation
of the mines. Mr.. Boylan has intro
duced q bill authorizing the Presi-
dent to seize and work the mines In
an emergency.