"The present coal situation is really a recurrence of that which we may expect from time to time until the whole problem is solved," said Senator William E. Borah of Idaho, chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor and Education, in a recent interview for the CRIMSON. "The public is at the mercy of the coal operators primarily and of the miners secondarily. If they fail to agree the public is practically helpless until they do agree and when they finally do agree the cost of their long disagreement is imposed upon the public in the way of increased prices.

"It is apparant, I think, that the Government must have more control and greater authority over the coal industry. Whether government control will be sufficient and efficient or whether government ownership will be necessary, it would be difficult to determine this time, but the public cannot longer be without a voice in the operation of this industry which is so vital to the existence of the public.

"It may be that this present difficulty will lead to a final solution of the problem, if so it will be a blessing in disguise. What I mean by a blessing in disguise is that if this unfortunate situation so arouses public interest as to develope a real program for the future, it will be some compensation for the inconvenience and the losses that the strike is imposing."