The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-11-05
Gompers Charges That Federal
Injunction Against Miners Is
Grave Wrong and Gross
Blunder.
FUEL ADMINISTRATION
MACHINERY IN MOTION
President Lewis of Miners
Breaks Silence; Asserts Ne
gotiatiOns Would Be Resumed
If InjunctiOnS Withdrawn.

Washington, Nov 4.-Despite the
spirit of hopefulness in official quar-
ters that the end of the coal strike is
near, spokesman for miners and oper-
ators declared tonight the country is
in for a protracted industrial strug-
gle in bituniinus fields.
Labor leaders, a bit more specific
than operators, estimated union mines
will remain closed at least a month.
Other estimates are a fortnight but
officials still held to the. view that
the strike will not last that long
Fuel Administrators Garfield returned
today from the west, took active con-
troll of the situation and prepared to
fix a maximum price on anthracite
coal on the first evidence of attempts
TO advance the price.
Attorney General Palmer denied the
injunction will be withdrawn and de-
clared his belief that if the federal
court at indianapolis Saturday holds
the strike is illegal. miners ..as law
abiding citizens will discontinue it,
Washington, Nov. 4.-Charging that
the governments injunction against
the soft coal miners was a grave
wrong and gross blunder Samuel
Gompers declared tonight that if the
injunction is vacated and miners and
operators invited to a conference he
had abiding faith that a mutually hon.
orably adjustment could be negotiated
to end the strike.
indianapolis, Nov. 4.-rActing Presi-
dent Lewis of the miners. when shown
the Associated Press dispatch quoting
Gompers. said the miners would be
willing to resume negotiations with
operators Immediately if ,injunctions
are withdrawn.
Asked if they would be willing to
return to work prior to opening of
negotiations. he said the miners of
fer meant only negotiations without
reservations. which is taken to mean
no move would be made toward re-
Stunning work before reopenifig of ne
Agotiations.
Oklahoma City. Nov. 4.-Governor
Robertson tonight issued a call for
the first quota OF the eight thousand
men he proposes to organize to work
Oklahoma mines during the coal
strike.
Indianapolis. Ind. Nov. Break
ing his silence here for the first time
since he was served with the restrain
ing order from the court of Federal
Judge Anderson last Friday. John l..
Lewis, acting president of the United
Mine Workers of America, gave out
the following brief statement in re-
gard to the government attempt to
restrain approximately 100000 soft
coal miners from striking.
The machinery of the joint system
Of bargaining in the mining industry
is intact. 1t would be a simple mat
ter for the government and the coal
operators again to set it in motion to
negotiate a wage agreement"
Washington, Nov. attorney Gen.
eral Palmer was out of the city today,
but other Officials in touch with the
situation We're more hopeful than ever
that there would be a speedy ending
of the strike.
The statement of John L. Lewis
acting president of the United Mine
workers OF America, that the joint
system or bargaining in the mining in
dustry still was intact was regarded
as another encouraging sign. Off
Gals reiterated, however that the
strike would have to be called off be-
fore the government could offer its
good offices to arbitrate fine differ
ences between the miners and opera
tors
Meantime various government aren-