Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-12-04
POWE R Of COURTS
INVOKED TO END
MINERS WALKOUT
Information Charging Criminal
Contempt Is Filed Against
"a Officers of the Mine
Workers Union.
~ MoaNINs loyanAL sese.aL LE.cap .LaEl


Indianapolis, Ind. Dec 3.-The
United States government today
again invoked the powers of the fed :
eral courts in an effort 10 end the
strike of 100000 bituminous coal
miners of the country.
Information charging criminal con-
tempt OF court was filed in the United
States district court against eighty
four international and district officers
of the United Mine Workers. named In
the court injunction issued immedi-
ate y after the strike was called, and
requiring their appearance to answer
the charges. II is alleged that all of
the officers have consDired to keep
the strike in force and thus have vio-
lated the terms of the Injunction.
Acting President j. l.. Lewis, Sec
retary-treasurer William Green Percy
Tetlow, statistician, and Ellis Searles,
editor of the Mine Workers Journal,
the only officials of the organization
in indianapolis. were notified of the
action and agreed to report in court
tomorrow to furnish bond fixed al
$4,000 by Federal Judge Anderson.
other officials in the Jurisdiction Of
the federal court here, who include
Edward Stewart and William Mitch Of
iVllt IlduNNs plllCidlS Ol llIHlIltl no,
II of the mine workers. will be served
as soon as possible, and required to
appear at 10 o'clock next Tuesday
morning for hearing.
Dan w. Simms, special United
States district attorney in charge OF
enforcement of the injunction, stated
today that the proceedings against
the miners representatives will be
pushed and that removal proceedings
to obtain the appearance in court here
of officers who reside outside of In
diana Will be instituted at once.
Mr. Smms announced that pro-
ceedings against officers of two locals
at clinton, Ind, also would be insti-
tuted very soon charging them spe-
officially with violations of the in
junction by payment of strike bene-
fits to miners. Officials of Local No.
2,0l1, he declared, had paid benefits
by check, attempting to conceal the
real nature of the action by stating
that they We're for over payment of
dues. Local No SO, he said. drew one
check for $500 and distributed cur.
rency among its members.
In connection with the issuance OF
strike benefits, Mr. Simms again de-
clared that the injunction extends TO
any PtlSOll NHtlllti Ut NOT n IlliiltIt
who in any way encouraged the strike
and said that banks which honored
checks drawn against a strike bene-
~ fund were liable to prosecution,
Mr. Simms stated that the citations
against the men named today were
only start in the prosecutions against
alleged violators of the injunction and
that the action might be expected
soon.
ut is the governments purpose"
Mr. Simms said, ITO continue prose
cution as fast as evidence can be pre-
pared and filed with the court against
all officers Of every local who are
conspiring by concerted effort to keep
the strike in force. Refusal to return
TO work If miner knows of the in
junction and the subsequent order of
the union officials resembling the
strike order, constitutes violations of
the injunctions, and the government
will proceed on this theory, regardless
OF whether officers are guilty of some
specific act OF encouragement of the
strike.
The government waited patiently
while the conference was going on in
Washington, hoping that some plan
for averting the impending disaster
consequent on the shortage of fuel
would be evolved, After the confer
ence closed the government directed
the operators to re-open their mines
and advance wages IA per cent. The
government again waited patiently for
some action on the part of the miners
looking toward resumption of work
The officials not only failed to make
any efforts to bring about an end to
the strike but in numerous statements
to the Associated Press and news
liapers, encouraged its continuance.
During every moment of this period
of waiting all officers of the union
have violated the injunction and the
government has exhausted its pa
tience."