Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-17
AUTHORITY TO END
COAL STRIKE ASKED
Copeland Resolution Would
Give President Power to
Seize Mines.
BY the Associated Prees.

After President Coolidge had been
attacked and defended yesterday in
The Senate for inaction in the anthra-
! cite suspension. a proposal was put
forward that would give him full au-
thority to bring about resumption
of mining.
1t was in the form of joint resolu
/ ton by Senator Copeland, Democrat,
New York. and would empower the
| President to seize the mines, fix the
price of anthraci at the mines as
well as wages of employees, and COM
pensate the mine owners.
Opposition Is Indicated.
At the request of the author, the
measure was sent to the interstate
commerce committee. The running
fire of discussion as to whether the
President can do anything now indi-
Gated rather widespread opposition to
any such legislation.
Before offering the resolution. Sen
ator Copeland sought action on an
other requesting the President to act
to end the suspension, but after an
hour and a half of debate 1t went to
the calendar under the rules at the
conclusion of what is known in the
Senate as the HlOi ming nOuI
Have Framed Measure.
During the debate Chairman Oddie
of the mining committee disclosed
that his committee has sent to the
Commerce Department for expert op-
inion on a measure designed to carry
out the recommendations of the Presi-
dents Coal Commission by giving the
Government a greater measure of au-
I'll ",
both the anthracite and soft coal in
dustries.
Senator Oddie told the Senate he
did not think this was the time to
consider that legislation because of
| the present situation in the anthra-
cite field.
Conspiracy Is Denied.
Intimations in the debate of a pos
| sible combination between operators
and miners to bring about the sus-
pension drew denial from representa-
tives of the miners here, who declared
| there could be no such conspiracy as
was hinted at in the Senate discus
! sion.
! incidentally, these representatives,
w. ]. James and George w. Lewis.
legislative representatives of the Unit
ed Mine Workers of America, said the
| miners WOulQ welcome All oppol luiiilS
| to negotiate with the Government in
preference to the operators.
we are ready to negotiate with
any one who will give us a square
deal" they added.
While Senate discussion was IN
progress. four members of the House
from New York City Joined In re-
quest to Chairman Parker of the
House interstate commerce commit
l 70 INN q
diate action on the recommendation
of the President in his last annual
message that he be given power to
act when an emergency exists in the
anthracite field.
/ Precedent of Roosevelt.
| During the debate Senator Pepper
of Pennsylvania declared that rms
resolution calls upon the President
to think of something to do, which
the Senate has not been able to think
Of. am not opposed TO a oennite
! resolution, and l am going to move
to refer this resolution to COM
mittee in the hope that something
NAV be worked out which will be of
| value"
Senator Copeland asked II Senator
Penper did not recall that Theodore
Roosevelt during the big anthracite
| strike of 1902 had called the miners
and operators to the White House
and found a way to settle the strike.
! II want to ask the Senator from
Pennsylvania If he does not think
that If the President calls the miners
and operators into conference now,
! the strike could not be ended" said
! Senator Copeland.
| "I should like to ask the Senator
| from New York if the big stick had
not dwindled very perceptibly," said
| Senator Reed of Missouri.
II think we have a wand instead of
a big stick replied Senator Copeland.
land a big stick is needed in this
case"
Reed Opposes big Stick"
Senator Reed dissented from this
| view. however, saying that he thought
| that perhaps it would have been a
good thing If there had never been
a big stick In this country. He said
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