The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-11-11
FRAZIER WOULD FORCE
BRENNAN AGREEMENT OR
TAKE OVER STATE MINES
THE GOVERNORS
PROCLAMATION

When a strike in the Ignite
Coal Fields was threatened ON
November, 1st,' 1919, l. Lynn j.
Frazier, as Governor, immediately
called upon the officials OF the
United Mine Workers Of America
for a modification IF IT,. strike
order, so far as it affected the
Ignite coal mines of the stale. !!
pointed out to theln he Scrious-
ness OF the situation owin!, to he
unusual cold weather at this time.
and the prospects of i long and
cold winter, and tie imminent
danger of loss of life and extreme
suffering of the innocen. publ: if
the strike, took place. Officials Ut
the United Mine Workers or An
erica responded promptly, modlf...
ing the strike order by suspending
the strike. They suggested con-
ference with me, which granted.
and following which l also invited
the mine operators for a confer
ence At the conference the,
United Mine Workers made certain
proposals. which under the circum-
stances in this crisis, appeared
reasonable to me and I presented
them to the mine. operators, who
seemed fairly disposed and appar-
emily We're ready to accept them
but later. there developed among
among the majority Of he opera
tors, principally thru tlln a!,ig;lliu1l
of one Of their number, ana an ~
torney, an Indifferent attitude, and
an admission on the part Of one
Of the operators that all t'a: his
company was after was profits.
The public welfare or thr >1ltfcr-
ing of the people seemed tD be
secondary consideration. 1! h:.-
came apparent that there wc;e
certain forces at work to prevent
the operators from reachi.% aHy
conclusion and that delay became
the sole purpose of the ruling fur-
tors. Who and what these forces
were. the public may judge rs we'll
as l. 1t is an interesting commea-
tary upon the attitude of the mine
operators that the proposals which
were presented to them. if accept
ed, would have caused them no lin-
ancial loss.
Since the breaking off Ct 1T SO
negotiations, the United Nine
Workers have gone out an most
Of the coal production Of the state
has ceased. A serious crlsi, CON
fronts us, loss Of life and severe
suffering awaits thousands OF
families. l have received numcr-
GUS telephone calls and messages
Of which the following is far
sample: Severe BLIZZARD. WITH
three retailjfcoal dealers here
there is not a pound of coal or
stick Of wood Many consumers
have only weeks supply Of fuel.
DO your best. Arthur Community
Club, ]. A. Burgam."
In addition l have received tele-
phone calls and messages suggest
ing that the state take over and
operate the mines pending the out
come Of this strike and thereby
avoiding the calamity which is inn
minent.
Now, therefore, since there is no
other competent and expedient
method by which the threatened
danger can be avertcd, I, LYNN j.
FRAZIER, by virtue of the auth
ity vested in me as Governor Of the
State Of North Dakota, do hereby
direct and command that the oper
ators and mine workers reach an
immediate agreement by which the
mines may be re-Opened and that
said agreement be reached on or
before Tuesday 600 p. NJ, Novem-
Der 18th, 1919, Or upon your fail
ure to do so, it shall be taken as
conclusive evidence that you are
unable to operate the mines so as
to protect the public; and in which
event the mines will be taken over
by the state and will be operated
for and in behalf of the public,
with justice and fairness to all, un-
til the present emergency shall
have passed.
And l respectfully request that
all public spirited men and women
who put human life. and the well
fare of people who toll, above mere
profits uphold my hand regardless
Of their political affiliations so that
.--- - IN = a q j 4 q !
reproached with having permitted
untold suffering without using
every means at or disposal to avert
this calamity which confronts us
and which we cannot escape by in
action.
Done at the Capitol at Bismarck
this 10th day Of November, A. D.,
1919.
LYNN J. FRAZIER