Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-26
An Appeal for Industrial Peace.

An Appeal for Industrial Peace.
In the most solemn words President
Wilson appeals to the officers and
individual members Of the United
Mine Workers of America to recall all
orders looking to a strike next Sat.
urday and to take whatever steps
may be necessary to prevent any stop
page of work. His statement, issued
last night, after day Of anxious con-
snltation on the part Of the heads Of
the government in the face Of an in
dustrial crisis such as the country has
never before experienced, is calculated
TO arrest the action Of those men who
are bent upon precipitating strike
and stopping completely the produc-
tion of the peoples chief supply of
fuel. If it does not prevail to this
eSd calamity will be caused from
which great suffering and enormous
losses will result.
The President states the case with
no softening Of language. Reciting
the wage agreements that were to run
during the continuance of the war,
but not beyond April l next, he de-
clares that strike now is not only
unjustifable, but unlawful. It would
be in the nature Of violation of con-
tract. He refuses to believe that "any
right Of any American worker needs
for its protection the taking of this
extraordinary STEP" which he regards
- "a fundamental attack, which is
wrong both morally and legally, upon
the rights Of society and the welfare
of our country"
The public interest becomes the par
smount consideration. The President
puts the case squarely before the mine
workers. He gives them plain warn
ing of the consequences of their act if
they walk out of the mines next Fri
day on strike that will greatly check,
II it does not wholly stop, one Of the
vital necessities of the life of the peo-
pie. His warning is unmistakable:
II feel it my duty in the public in
terest to declare that any attempt to
carry out the purpose of this strike
and thus to paralyze the industry of
the country, with the consequent .suf-
fering and distress of all our people,
must be considered q grave moral and
legal wrong against the government of
the people Of the United States. / can
do nothing else than to say that the
law will be enforced, and the means
VII be found to protect the interests
- the nation in any emergency that
may arise out of this unhappy bust
ness"
"The law will be enforced" Therein
dies the force of this statement. The
people will indorse this declaration.
There is no public sympathy for the
aetion of the mine workers, who have
rejected all previous proposals of set
Element and have ignored the final
yielding of the operators to the Presi-
dents earlier appeal for complete
submission of the matters in dispute
to arbitration.
Less than week will now remain
Tor the resembling of the strike order
and the arrangement of settlement
through acceptance Of the Presidents
tender of good Offices through an i'm
partial tribunal. 1t is ample time for
the act Of sanity and good citizenship
for which the President appeals. If,
however, this call to reason is ignored
IL the strike order stands, If the men
walk out of the mines at the close OF
the week and throw the country into
darkness and expose it to the cold Of
winter and paralyze the industries and
the railroads by shutting off their sup
ply Of fuel, the full power of the gov.
eminent will be exerted.
"A strike at the mines will be moi
merely defiance of the rights of the
people, but defiance of the govern
ment Of the United States. 1t will be
an act of civil war. The people of thi.
country, who are by a vast majority
: law-abiding and stanch in their citi
zenship, will ardently and Loyalty sup
port whatever measures may be adopt
ed to restore industrial peace