Evening star., 1950-01-22

beginning of the coal strike of
1922. In the % years which will
have elapsed before the present
Congress goes into action-if any
on the problem involved, there
have been numerous coal strikes
or Interruptions and stoppages in
coal production, eliminating in
the existing situation, which is or
is not grave national emergency.
according to the point of view
from which you pronounce judg-
ment.
May Have Blazed Trail
When Senator Kenyon went
into action he was set back on his
heels by the inertia of people
who were primarily interested in
getting back to normalcy-"back
to business as usual'-in the aft
ermatl of World War I. The
Iowan had been deeply interested
In the problems of industrial re-
lations, and in their solutions on
a permanent rather than on an
emergency or. crisis basis. He be-
came discouraged. and soon left
the Senate, where he had been
chairman Of the Committee on
Education and Labor. to accept
q judicial appointment He round
ed out his career as a Federal
Judge.
There is, however, a bare pos
sibility in current Developments
that the Senator Kenyon of 1922
will be proved to have blazed the
trail to ultimate constructive ac-
Etion in dealing with the situation
IN the coal industry. His bill could
be revived and revised or tailored
to f1t present-day conditions.
The statement that it was a
complete legislative proposal is
well made. 1t left no gaps later
to be bridged, and no details to
be worked out later when found
necessary. 1t provided for doing,
step by step, exactly what it was
intended to do. Therein, If in
nothing else, 1t is a prize example
for both legislators and laymen.
Following the enacting clause
and the table of definitions, the
Kenyon bill provided:
THAT it shall be the duty of
both operators and employees to
exert every reasonable effort and
adopt every available means to
avoid any interruption in the
operation of any coal mine. with
relation to which this act applies.
growing out of any dispute be-
tween employer and employees. All
such disputes shall be considered
and, If possible, decided in con-
ference between representatives
designated and authorized so to
confer by the employers and en-
ployes directly interested in the
dispute. If any dispute is not SO
decided in such conference, it
shall be referred by the parties
thereto to the Labor Board.
Tripartite Setup
"That to interpret and apply
the principles enumerated here
after and to hear and to render
decision in any difference or con-
troversies that may arise betweef,
employers and employees in the
coal-mining industry there is
hereby established board to be
known as the National Coal Min
ing Board, and to be composed
OF nine members"
This board was to be tripartite.
three members representing the
employees, three the employers or
management. and three the
public, all to be appointed by the
President and approved by the
Senate. Members of the labor
group were to be chosen from
not less than six nominees whose
nominations should be made by
the United Mine Workers of
America, and members of the
management group similarly from
nominations made by the National
Coal Association and the Anthra-
cite Operators Association. The
public group was to be named
directly by the President, without
any nominees by anybody, but
similarly subject to approval by
the Senate.
Attention is called to this inn
portant provision with respect to
the boards personnel: "A men,
Der may be removed by the Presi-
dent for neglect OF duty or for
malfeasance In Office"
And here Is the bills provision
% to how the board had jurisdic-
tsss OLD COAL, Page ca