New Britain herald., 1919-11-11
'AS TRUE AMERICANS, MINERS DECLINE ID FIGHT !. 5, GOV
Most M0mentous Labor Crisis in Country|
 History Passes; Way Now Open to Negl tiations; Judge Anderson Approves OrdI Resembling Strike

Indianapolis, Ind, Nov. 11-An or der calling off the nationwide bitu- minous coal strike was to be issued today, following the decision of the general committee of the United Mine Workers of America early this morn Ing to obey the mandate of T.. s. Dis trlct Judge A. B. Anderson, issued here last Saturday. The general committee, composed of international officers, district presidents and mem bers of the executive board and scale committee. reached its decision at 4:1O a. m. this morning and ad- Journed five minutes later to convene again at ? D. m.
 ''We Are Americans" ! Gentlemen, we will comply with the mandate of the court. We do it under protest. We are Americans. We cannot fight our government That is all.'
 1 This was the statement of John l.. Lewis acting president of the mine workers announcing the decision and other members of the conference, ap- parently worn out by their long hours , of discussion declined to add to the statement of their chief and soon dis perse4 ... ...---sa-. .--.-
 When the order, calling off the strike, will be drafted could not be learned early today, but under the order of Judge Anderson it must be submitted to the court for his ap- | proval at o o'clock this morning and be on it's way to the membership by 6 o'clock this evening. So far as could be learned no committee was appoint ed at the conference to write the or der.
 < Held Lengthy Session. The general committee had been in session since shortly after 10 o'clock yesterday morning taking only brief recesses for lunch and dinner The proceedings were interrupted during the afternoon session by the appear ance of United States Marshal Mark Storen and his deputies, who served 33 of the officials with copies of the temporary injunction issued Saturday, and returnable December 1. The writs in the restraining order were made returnable November 20.
 During the day approaches to the entrances of the conference had been carefully guarded by a sergeant at arms and during a recess a man re- mained on guard in the hall but in the later hours of the conference the sergeant at arms disappeared.
 Speeches Were Impassioned.
 The speeches at times were impas- stoned and voices from the hall rose above the hubbub of the hotel, in which the conference was held but only a word now and then was dis tinguishable. It is understood that all hoe nf fIn T and the effect various actions might have on the organization entered into the discussion but according to mem bers not a vote was taken on any sub- jects until the action early today was decided upon.
 Shortly before the conference ad- journed President Lewis and William Green, secretary held a long conference in the parlor Of the hotel. Developments after this con ference came rapidly.
 Chance of Settlement.
 The recall of the strike order will open the way imn ediateiy for a re- sumption ot the negotiations between the miners and the operators as the operators have announced they would be ready. to consider a new wage tS SSllISllI cI cSllS tll4AC b1lS obI lhS OI- der was withdrawn. It is also under stood the question of arbitration en- tered largely into the discussion in the final stages of the meeting but the miners position on this subject was not announced.
 The question of just how many of the coal digSers would obey the order resembling the strike was problemati- cal early today. In some districts it was considered that the resumption of the work would be general while in others it would be only partial and in some. it was said, the return would be very slow.
 Most I,npor.lnt Meeting.
 T,:a meeting was probably the most mCmentouS ever held by the miners organization if not the most weighty ever conducted by a labor organiZa- ton in this country, for in the view of labor leaders, it was to determine whether an organization would be forced by governmental pressure through the courts to discontinue a
 (Continued on Ninth Page)