Evening star., 1947-04-13

was buried in House committee.
| The inspection law actually be-
came effective in 1912. The Bureau
Of Mines had lot inspectors then.
It now has 172.
Partially successful, and apparently
seeing little chance of getting all
from Congress at the time, Mr.
Lewis changed his tack. In 1945
and again last, year, one of the
mine workers major demands was
that the private soft coal operators
write into their contract that find
/ ings and recommendations OF the
Federal inspectors be binding upon
them.
| Safety Code Drawn.
| That demand was one of the
major stumbling blocks to agree
ment last spring leading to a So
day strike. The Government seized
the mines last May 20 and reopened
them after Mr.. Lewis and Secretary
Krug had signed an interim agree
ment May 20. The safety demand
is one Of the principal reasons the
Government still Is operating the
mines.
| In working out the agreement
with Mr.. Lewis for Federal opera
ton, Mr.. Krug hit upon a compro-
mise of the demand for enforced
inspections which he thought would
be acceptable to the operators. 1t
was expected the operators soon
would take over the Krug-Lewis
pact, enabling the Government to
get out of the coal business. That
compromise resulted In formulation
of the Federal Mine Safety Code,
which was a compilation of stand
ards Of safety for mines which the
Bureau of Mines had gathered from
its years of experience.
Many Don'ts and Dos.
The code is really grouping of
hundreds of donts and dos, con-
cerning every phase of the opera
ton of mine. It covers everything
from the handling of blasting pow
der, installation of heavy and ex-
pensive safety machinery to a ban
on miners smoking in gaseous
mines. 1t is supposed to apply to
soft coal mines in all sections of the
country, with all their widely vary
ing conditions. It would be largely
accidental If any mine was found In
compliance with every provision on
any given date.
Many of the code provisions are
rather trivial and of relatively little
Importance so far as saving life and
limb is concerned. The carrying out
of others means great expenSe to
many companies, which cannot af-
ford to make the corrections imme-
diately. It was generally recognized
when the code became effective last
July that it was a goal-something
for the industry to strive for. Com
pletion of the program was recog-
nized as a long time job. Yet, Mr..
Lewis, nine months after the code
took effect, suggests" that the
miners should not work in any mine
which is not in compliance with
every provision of the code.
Enforcement Troubles.
AS a result of the Centralia ex-
plosion, new effort is being made
for enactment by Congress of law
giving the Bureau of Mines, or
some other Federal agency. the
power to inforce safety measures in
mines. Representative Lands, Re-
publican, of Indiana, a former
miner, has introduced such a bill.
It seems to have considerable
support.
The principal objection to Fed
eral enforcement in the past has
been that it constitutes an invasion
of States rights. Coal operators
have argtled such a law would be
unconstitutional. Operators fear.
too, that the Federal men would
have fife or death" power over
their businesses A charge most
frequently heard is that the Federal
recommendations in the past have
tl,een 1tr,rea soroaI,Ie
1t is matter of record that
safety suggestions of the Federal
men have been widely ignored. A
Bureau of Mines official said there
is large group of owners which
complies fully with all suggestions,
another which treats them in
desultory fashion and third which
tosses them in the waste basket.
Politics Charged.
| Mine owners, however, are show
ing signs Of weakening in their op-
position to Fedral safety enforce
ment. The executive committee Of
the National Coal Association will
review its policy toward the question
at a meeting here this week. It is
said number Of powerful operators
have come around to the belief
that maybe Federal enforcement
would be good for the business. Z"
| Aside from the argument that
Federal enforcement would bring
uniformity in safety to the industry.
the charge Is frequently heard that
State mine departments are "shot
through with politics. The Gen.
tralia investigation brought out
that State inspectors had collected
election campaign funds for the
Republican regime in Illinois last
fall. Mr.. Lewis makes charges
against mining departments OF many
States, but he says the one in Ken
lucky lis owned and controlled" by
the coal operators there.
Whether the Bureau of Mines
would remain free Of politics If given
police auth0rifv II matter ~