New-York tribune., 1919-11-10
LeaUis Denies He
Hos Stated Vie1us
Leader Has Decided or,
Policy, but Won't Talk
Until the Parley Meets
BY Theodore M. knappen

Dy lncOOOIc Nl. Nnappcn
INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 9.--lt is vr-
tually certain that the members of
the executive board and the district
presidents Of the United Mine Work
ers will vote reluctantly to obey the
order of Federal Judge Anderson and
call off the coal strike.
Many Of the men who will meet
here tomorrow to decide whether to
obey or disobey the court mandate that
they recall the strike order by D. m.
! Tuesday arrived in Indianapolis to-
day. All were downcast, irritable
and reticent. Generally, though, they
have the air of men inescapably
caught, as one of them put it, Gin
the foul clutch of circumstance
Acting President John l.. Lewis said
to-day that the press dispatches ap
parently had misrepresented him, and
authorized the following statement:
Statements to the fleet that
shall or shall not obey the mandatory
provisions Of the injunction writ are
unauthorized and premature"
Lewis Keeps Decision Secret
Mr.. Lewis has made his personal de-
c;sion. but thinks it would be indiscrect
and unfair to his associates to disclose it
in advance of the gathering tomorrow
that is to determine the official course
of the mine workers. Contrary to
some reports, neither the attorneys OF
the mine workers nor Ml. Lewis made
any statement in or out of court yes
terday as TO the course to be pursued.
Loath as the leaders of the mine
workers union are to obey an order
which to them seems harsh and un-
just. they are further perturbed b
misgivings as to how revocation of
the strike order will be accepted by the
men. There is no certainty in their
minds that even majority of the
miners will return t. work should the
strike order be rescaded.
Moreover. there is a possibility that
some of the district officials who are
located in pivotal territory will defy
/ to remain on trke and face the
/ punishment the court may inhict. The
districts in VIII ich there is the greatest
Canger that the mon may follow their
own inc.inations rather than directions
rom headquarters are the districts
that produce the bulk Of the soft coal
of the country. and include Illinois
indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and
western Pennsylvania.
Twofold Dilemma Faced
The men who must make the de-
. clSiCn TO- morrow are thus confronted
with the dilemma of obeying the court
and having their men discbey them.
or Of disobeying the court and winning
the approval of the most aggressive
Of their followers. To the second horn
of the dilemma is added the prospect
Eat fair proportion of the miners
viii act in accordance with the courts
decision even if their leaders should
choose not to do so.
AS the officers see it, there is great
danger of serious disruption of the
union whatever course is taken. Repre-
sentatives of the government do not
hesitate to say that disobedience to
the courts order will result in crush
ing the union, which is the most
numerous and powerful of all the labor
organizations affiliated with the Ameri-
: can Federation of Labor
Members of the executive board COM
mented cynically on the statement of
T. T. Brewster, of st. Louis chairman
of the central competitive fie d operat-
ors scale committee. that the operators
would be ready to resume ncgoiia tons
for new scale as soon as the miners
return to work
"Having got US down and taken
away our only weapon-the RIGHT TO
+ strike-the operators now graciously
agree to negotiate" was the substance
Oh tnc comment.
The opinion was expressed that
under the circumstances, negotiations
would be farce, but one Of the min
ers officers gave. it as his personal
opinion that the miners would at once
enter into negotiations if assured of
the good faith Of the operators. 1t was
stated, however, that with the injunc-
ton in effect FOR an indefinite period,
there would be nothing to impel the
operators toward early termination Of
negotiations. Attention was called to
the fact that the Lever law may be ex-
tended for six months after the proc
lamation of peace, during all Of which
time the injunction may remain in eff
feet. 1t was a.so remarked that if the
government should continue in DO ses-
sion Of the railways for an indefinite
period the miners would be indcfn te-
ly deprived of their right to strike,
according to an opinion expressed by
Judge Anderson in yesterdays trial,
because it would not tolerate any
strike order that tended to interfere
with the operation Of its trains
Miners View Pessimistic
Altogether, as the miners view it,
the action Of the court has deprived
them of the right to strike for an in
definite time and, therefore, of liberty
Of negotiation.
Disguise it as you will" said one
of the leaders to-day. "the govern
ment has determined to make us mine
coal. If that is not involuntary servi-
tud don't know what it is
II is Interpretation of the present
status of the miners and the conse~
quences that may grow out of it are
of vital interest to all organized labor
and, therefore, the acton of the execu-
tive council of the American Fedora
ton of Labor in Washington to-day
may conceivably have a direct inf1u-
ence on the decision the miners meet
ing here tomorrow will have, to make.
Unquestionaby if the Washington
meeting should hold that labor's rights
are imperiled by the injunction, and
should advise the miners to defy the
court and meet the issue now, with the