The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-10-14
AID FOR STRIKING MINERS is
ASKED.
BLAME LAIO ON OPERATORS
American Federation of Labor
Through Its Executive Council
Issues an Address.

executive council, yesterday issued an
address to the public, appealing for
financial and moral aid for the strik.
ing anthracite miners, and denouncing
the attitude of the mine owners, on
whom the appeal says, must rest the
responsibility for the hardships result
ing from the coal famine. The ad-
dress has been under discussion in
secret sessions of the council for sew
eral days and is as follows:
ITO the Public and Organized Ia
bor: The strike of the miners is now
in it's 23d week. That the strike &C.
Cured was entirely the fault of the
presidents of the coal companies; that
the strike has continued to this day
is entirely due to the contempt which
the presidents of the coal companies
have for the people of our country
and the untold sufferings which all
may endure.
mo offer to settle the strike could
be fairer than that of the Miners
representatives at the conference
ators' naughty arrogance, brutal, d~ m
ineering spirit and blasphemous as
sumption of divine wealth and pro-
prietorship has shocked the civilized
world and aroused the indignation Of
all lovers Of justice and fair dealing.
What more could the miners do
and maintain their se1f-respect and
not forfeit the respect Of their fellow
men than their willingness to sub
init all matters in dispute to a COM
mission appointed by President
to leave the entire controversy to ].
P. Morgan, one Of the men largely in
terested with the operators?
There has never been a time. eth
err before the strike or since it's in
auguration, that the miners have not
been entirely willing to have the ques-
tons involved in the miners claims
investigated and adjusted by any dis
interested person.
these circumstances in connection
with the strike are recounted SO that
the people of our country may place
where it. properly belongs the respon-
sibility for all the suffering which the
people may have to bear by reason of
an impending coal famine. The cold
blasts of winter confront us, the chat
tering teeth of young and innocent
children, the shivering of the weak,
poorly clad, underfed men and women,
the %stoppage of the wheels of indus
try and commerce, the health under
mined and thousands driven to I'M
timely graves, the calamity threaten
quillity, with all the dire conse-
quences which may follow-are all
upon the heads of the mine operators.
.The principles of the cause for
which the miners are bearing the
great sacrifices and burdens are as
dear to the hearts of all as to the
miners. The miners must be sustained
in their righteous and holly struggle.
The miners must at least have bread
for themselves, their wives and there
little ones. S
in behalf of the miners, in behalf
of the cause of freedom, for justice
and right, the undersigned, repre-
senting the organized wage earners
of America, appeal to all people to
contribute generously, promptly, and
to continue the same until the termi-
nation of this contest. And to that
end it is suggested that:
Il. In each city and town, business,
professional and public men form re-
lief committees to solicit financial
and other contributions.
"2-The hour between 10 and II
o'clock of each Monday morning dur
ing the continuance of the strike is
designated as Miners hour and the
wages earned during that hour by the
working people of our country be
contributed to the miners.
SO Ministers of the gospel of all
denominations make a special plea to
their respective congregations each
Sabbath morning in behalf of the
miners, their wives n children, and
that they constitute themselves into
relief committees among their re-
spective parishioners.
1.-THE daily, weekly and labor
press solicit contributions from the
readers; entertainments be arrang-
ed and contributions from unions and
other organized bodies be solicited.
Fellow Citizens. Fellow Wage
Farmers: Come to the aid of the
miners in their heroic contest, and
q well merited rebuke for
he arrogant. oppressive and unjusti-