Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-06-16
Miners Discuss
Bosses Injunction
Claim That Only Those Strikes
VIII Be Permitted That Will
Not Threaten Bosses
Position.

Springfield, Ill.-The temporary in
junction secured by the Big Muddy
Coal and Iron Company, which owns
mines in several counties of Illinois.
against the United Mine Workers, is a
question of much discussion among the
zoo, 900 men who are out on strike.
For nearly two months and a half
the miners Of Illinois have been idle.
Until two weeks ago a strike was not
called because the union officials ex-
pected that a settlement would have
been brought about within a few days
after the expiration of the old agree
ment. The two months layof was
simply called a suspension"
When the Suspension" was called
a large percentage of the rank and
file wanted to call every man out of
the mine until a complete settlement.
was brought about, but the union Of
ficials objected to this. The spirit of
solidarity was SO pronounced that
thousand or more strikers in Danville,
few weeks ago, marched to the
mine and drove the pumpmen and
necessary workmen" out of the mine
against the orders Of their officials.
AS long as the miners simply
STRUCK" but agreed to permit a SUI
flcient number of their members to
keep the mines in running order while
kthey were out, the operators did not
make a kick, for coal was being shipped
| in from other states where the union
fhad signed up But when they lost
hope and saw the scheme Of the oper-
ators to crush out their union, they
urged upon their officials to call out
every miner in that state who claimed
to be union man.
This, Of course, was a drastic meas
ure." 1t struck . blow at the coal
trust where good blow counts-in the
/ pocketbook. If there were no men
down below looking after machinery
and keeping the water from rising.
| thousands Of dollars of property would
be destroyed.
/ This Is why an Injunction has been
granted the operators which states
that the miners union must not in
terfere with the operation Of the mines
| in this manner,
This Injunction is test case to see,
according to capitalist law, how far
labor can 20 in declaring a strike. The
| coal company claims that it had an
/ agreement with the union that it
would not call out these classes OF
workers, and claims, also, that heavy
damages would result for which it has
i no redress.
On the other. hand. the miners see
| the value of "drastic" action, especial
lily when It strikes q direct blow at
the PROFITS Of the. bosses. Many OF
them think that If this had been don9
in the beginning the strike would mo-
have dragged on as it has.
i The union officials have permitted
i the pumpmen and others to work, re-
CARELESS az the general strike order,
But If the injunction holds good, only
those strikes will be permitted that
win not threaten the defeat OF the
bosses or cripple them in such way
| that they win be compelled to give
in before the resources Of the striker
has given out.
Those In close touch with the min
ers' union Of Illinois claim that forces
are driving it to take more agrees
sive attitude II it intends to hold the
power 1t has gained and become more
and more a fighting organization in
the interests Of the coal miners Of the
state. Seven. thousand men are still
out, with no hope Of settlement yet.