The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-01-19
Alexander HoWat Denies Men
of His Organization are De-
flying the Government.
RESENT OPERATORS CHARGE
Mine Workers President Says Men
Are Not Striking, But Quit Their
-Icbs for Cause.

6ral commissioner OF the SOuIlW6SC
ern Interstate Coal Operators Associ-
alton, that a group of miners in his
district is defying the government, as
well as violating its contract, by not
working at the Smith, Scott & White
steam shovel mine. The mine, which
has three pits, employs 100 men and
produces 900 tons daily.
These miners are not striking, but
quit their jobs because the superin-
tendent treated them with into1erable
unfairness," Howat said. Then he
sent them home three mornings rath-
er than let them work in accordance
with an agreement to work pending
settlement of the original dispute
These men have quit their jobs and
will seek work in other mines or other
lines of employment rather than sub
NIT to such treatment as was accord
ed them.
81 resent the operators slurs on the
patriotism of the Kansas miners.
They are silent on the fact that I'M
fairness of the operators caused the
trouble and then the operators want
to hide behind a pretense of patriot
ism This is still a free country. De-
spite the automatic penalty clause and
the war situation, the time has not yet
come when a man cannot quit work
where he is Disseminated against and
take up other lines of employment"
The charge of the operators that
Kansas miners laid off several days
during the holidays is denied by
Howat, who says the records show
they worked every day, except Christ
mas and New Years, if it was possible
to work.
Local operators say that if the
miners get by with their stand in the
Smith, Scott & White case, the auto
matte fine clause is valueless, as the
miners won't strike, but quit their
jobs, which can't be filled until the
unions demands are met.
X K
Fiqht Hoo ChoIera.-Aroused by re-
ports of several cases of hog cholera
In Douglas county a group Of farmers
of the county have organized an Anti
Hog Cholera Association. The associ-
alton will work with state and federal
agents to check the spread Of the di-
sease.
4 4 x
Sedan Attorney Dead.-S. II. Jones,
an attorney, father of Paul Jones,
Kansas editor, died at Sedan recently.
Mr. Jones, who was Sc years old, came
to Kansas from Indiana forty years
ago. He had served two years as
county attorney for Rice county and
two terms in Chautauqua county.
X X
Tractor Crushes Farmer.-John
Luke, a farmer who resided six miles
from Parsons, was found dead by
neighbors the other day. Luke in at
tempting to connect a tractor engine
and a separator was caught between
the two machines and crushed.
x x x
Find Dynamite in coaI.-A charge
of dynamite was found recently in
car of coal belonging to the Bower
sock power plant at Lawrence. The
finding of the explosive was the re-
suit of the extreme care that is be-
ing used in guarding the mills.
x X
Whole Family in Army.-No one in
lola doubts the patriotism of the D. L.
Cox family, for every member is now
in service. DR.. o. L. Cox recently re-
ceived a captaincy in the medical re-
serve corps and is awaiting orders to
q training camp. Capt. L. W. Cox, the
oldest son, is in command of Com
pany B, One Hundred and Tenth Field
Signal Battalion, Camp Doniphan, Fort
Sill, Ok, and a. younger brother, Her
al a1 iC in he
organization.
Boy Killed Under Mctor.-Roy VoIk-
mann, 11-year-oId son of Mr.. and Mrs.
A. W. Volkmarn of Lyons, was killed
by a speeding rotor car recently Mr.
yolkmann' is the bookkeeper at the
Lyons National Bank.
= =
Burned to Death.-Mrs. Louise En-
lert, so years old, who lived alone,
was burned to death in her home at
Kensington- the other night
4 = x
Motor Car Turned over-Darley
Fitzgerald was killed the other night
near McCracken when the motor car
he was driving turned over
x x X
Considers Six-Day SchooIs.-The
E1dorado board of education is con-
sidering holding school on Saturdays
for the remainder Of the term. Dur
ing the recent cold spells the schools
have been forced to shut down entire
" for want of heat and the pupils
have lost approximately a month from
the term
y
Buriingame Officer Dies.-A recent
telegram from Camp Travis, San An
tonic, Tex, announced the death of
Lieut. Kenneth Dubois Of Burlingame.
Lieutenant Dubois was % years old.
X X =
Farm Woman a Suicide.-Mrs. John
". Teter, wife Of a wealthy farmer
Of three miles northeast Of Eldorado.
committed suicide by shooting herself
five times The woman was alone.
The children had gone TO school and
her husband to town She left a note
saying she was tired of living.
Change in Augusta Bank. W.