The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-12-04
Sweeping Prosecution
Ordered by Anderson
Alleged Violations Of Anti
Trust Act by Coal Men to
Be Pr0bed.
SPECIAL JURY CALLED
Everybody, Everywhere" to
Come Under Searching
Investigation,

Indiana apoIis, Dec. 4.-FeteraI Judge
Anderson has summoned the federal
grand jury to appear here Monday to
investigate alleged violations Of the
Lover act and the criminal provisions
Of the antitrust acts by the coal
operators, il was announced today.
The grand jury's Investigations will
include everybody, everywhere" 1t
was asserted by District Attorney L.
Ert Slack.
"A most thorough, sweeping and
searching investigation will be made
by the grand jury and all violators,
whether they be miners, mine officers,
operators or dealers, will be brought
to book" says the governments
statement.
The government viii ask the grand
jury for indictments for such viola
tions of the law as may be developed
before 1t and that this Is not for the
purpose "only of bringing relief from
the present intolerable situation, but
that the government expects to
prosecute all violatorD of the law to
that end and expects to insist that
such violators shall suffer the pen.
atty provided by law" 1t Is declared.
1--WE shall not only insist that the
coal operators are in league with the
miners to violate the Lever act, but
we shall further insist" the statement
declares, that the coal operators
themselves have combined and con-
spired to violate the criminal provt.
sions of the antitrust acts passed by
congress, and that they have vio-l
lated such provisions"
The grand jury was called by Judge
Anderson as a result of information
charging contempt of court filed with
the court late yesterday by the gov
eminent.
The jury, 1t Is said, will be charged
to investigate the violation of the
Lever act, not only on the part OF
the defendants to the injunction suit
and the officers of the United Mine
Workers, but also any other persons,
including miners and operators, who
have in any way, before or since the
suit, Joined with these defendants In
carrying out this unlawfu conspir-
acy." says a statement prepared by
Mr.. Slack and Dan Sims, special as
sistant district attorney.
The information filed with the court
sets forth facts which Indicate that
the conspiracy to violate the Lever
act extends far beyond the officex8
Of the United Mine Workers ana the
tiqitln work y I'll fhBelves.s = the states
nasat says, 'sFrom the facts now ID
our. possession II appears that the
coal operators are also engaged In q
conspiracy to violate that law. The
information shows also that the in
junction has not only been disobeyed,
but the Lever act has been and is
now being grossly, openly and de.
fiantly violated"
Republican m mi bers opposed
Hitchcock's substitute on the grounds
that its adoption would commit con-
gress to follow any course or policy
the president might decide to adopt
toward the Carranza government or
Mexico.
Text Of Resolution.
The Hitchcock substitute reso-
1ution WIS as follows: ri
Resolved by the senate of the
United States (the house of rep
resentatives concurring), that
the action taken by the depart
ment of state in reference to the
pending controversy between
this government and the govern
ment of Mexico should be ap-
proved; and further, that the
| president of the United States be,
| e'iiN ifc 10 tDJ VI sup
port If in his judgment it be-
| comes desirable to sever all dip
| lomatic relations now existing be-
tween this and the government of
| Carranza."
Another objection raised to the
Hitchcock resolution was that
| the severance of diplomatic re-
| lations was left in it entirely to
the presidents Judgment" as to
whether such severance was "de
sirable.'
Brewster Silent.
Washington, Dec. 4.-Thomas II
| Brewster. chairman of the opera
tors wage scale committee. refused
to comment on the proposed inves-
| tigation of the operators by a grand
| jury. He indicated that the operators
were entirely willing to be investi-
| gated, however.
Charleston w. Va. Dec. 4.-Ninety.
nine per cent. of the union miners in
| District No. II, United Mine Work.
ers of America, are out and stand
| ing like a stone wall against the Ia
per cent. increase" according to Will
liam NJ. Petry, president, in a
statement here today.
m