The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-12-07
TENNESSEE TO
OPERATE Mines
Governor Roberts Serves Notice
on Both Miners and OPP
orators of Mines
COAL FAMINE IS FACED
Executive Tells Large Audience
at Knoxville Time Ripe for
State to Take a Hand.
COAL FAMINE Is FACED

Knoxville, Tenn, Dec. 6.-In an ad-
dress before a large assembly of citi-
zens here this morning Governor A. III.
Roberts served notice on both coal
operators and miners that the coal
strike in Tennessee must be termin-
ated. He appealed to both of them
the higher ground of patriotic duty to
state and nation. and declared that
should they fail to heed this appeal
then the notice is served upon them
that I shall forthwith take such steps
and employ such means as may seem
best calculated to produce the de-
sired results"
The governor spoke in Market Hall,
the city auditorium and was heard by
a large audience including many min
ers and operators as well as inter-.
ested citizens from Knoxville and other
points in East Tennessee. He was ac-
rcompanied to the city by Attorney
General Frank NJ. Thompson, and ad-
jutant General E. B. Sweeny with both
this afternoon. Several operators and
miners also called upon the governor
and discussed with him the strike
situation and the coal supply in this
district.
There We're indications tonight that
operators and miners might reach a
tentative agreement and resume work
in coal mines in district 10, Tennessee,
and Kentucky, Monday morning.
Striking miners who are not at
work by Tuesday morning must va
cate houses owned by coal companies
1t was decided at a meeting of opera
tors after the governors address.
! Il deeply regret said Governor
i Roberts in his appeal to the miners
and operators of Tennessee "to com
| pose their differences and begin the
operation of the mines forthwith, the
time has come in the development of
the coal strike now on in Tennessee
| when feel impelled by sense of duty
/ to the public to take an active inter-
est in the operation of the coal mines
i IN TenneSSes. The people of Tenues-
see are now facing a coal famine which
not only threatens great financial loss,
but imperils the health and lives of
| the people,
The coal deposits of Tennessee are
| impressed. meaSureably at least with
public trust and this trust and use
are SO vital ana necessary to the very
| NE or the people themselves that it
constitutes in my Judgment such a
/ rlsht as should be protected and en-
| forced on behalf of the public
| AS governor L shall not tolerate any
such use OF property to be made as
VIII result in serious injury to the
/ public The right to use property is
not absolute. but is relative only The
owner OF gun has no right to use ii
TO the injury of his fellows. Neither
has the owner of coal mine the right
to use his property or decline to use
1t to the detriment and injury of the
public. Notice is hereby served upon
them that they must either exercise
their corporate powers or forfeit their
rights to do SO to the state which con-
i ferred them. In other words, they
must either mine coal or exhaust ever,
effort to do so, or be prepared to an
swer the state for it's failure through
its courts or military power as the
state may elect.
"On the other hand the right te
strike is not in any sense an absolute
4 one; indeed, the moral right does no
exist at all in favor of citizens en-
gagged in certain employments. Here
is a great coal strike where a large
number of men have arrogated unto
themselves the right for the mer.
sake of a comparatively small in
crease in wages to freeze the worlC
into submission to their demands
throwing hundreds of thousands of la
tpoTeiS oul u employment Tor WANT o
materia1 with which TO work, and thu
wreeking our entire industrial sys
, tenn"
The governor announced that sine
the situation had become acute am
both sides in their stubbornness ant
selfishness have manifested dispo
sition to stand out against all en-
treaties it became his duty to inter
!. vene and assert the rights of the pub
lie ssTo this end" he declared, g
shall employ all the resources of TIL
state of Tennessee in both men an,
money.