Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-10-31
UNION LEADERS
DECLARE STRIKE
IS UNAVOIDABLE

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. S0.-The
nine workers reply to the presi
ent's demand to rescind the strik,
rider follows:
The conference of United Mine
Workers, composed of members
Of the international executive
board, the scale committee of
the central competitive district
and the district presidents,
United Mine Workers Of Amer
lea, gave most profound consid-
Grafton to the statement of the
president of the United States,
which appeared in the public
press recently, relative to the
impending strike of bituminous
miners set for November 1. No
communication was received by
international officials of the
United Mine Workers Of America
from either the president or any
representative of the federal gov
eminent.
A canvass of the entire stu
alton shows that a strike of
bituminOus miners cannot be
avoided. A regularly constituted
convention of representatives of
the United Mine Workers held
at Cleveland on September 25,
ordered a strike of bituminous
mine workers to become effect
i've November l, in the event a
wage scale was not negotiated
before that time The highest
authority in the organization has
acted in this manner and no rep
reSentatives of the organizati
have authority to set such action
aside. The facts are that the
same supreme authority which
ordered the pending strike is the
same as that which approved the
contract which has now expired.
The responsibility for the
strike rests with the coal oper-
ators. They have refused to ne
gotiate a wage agreement, not
withstanding the fact the mine
workers representatives have
urged and beseeched them to do
so. The fundamental causes
which prompted the mine work
Sl " lClhS ILLS uIdSLlC dCllOn
are deep-seated. For two years
their wages have remained sta
tionary. They appealed, one year
ago, to the federal fuel admin
istrator, DR.. Garfield, and from
him to the president of the
United States, for an increase in
wages sufficient to meet the in
crease in the cost Of necessaries
Of life. Their appeal ,7as re-
jected and their request refused.
Notwithstanding this, they con-
tinued mining coal. Now their
contract expires when they are
determined that their grievances
must be adjusted in a reasonably
satisfactory manner.
Right to Strike
The courts have held that
workingmen have a right to
strike and may quit work either
singly or collectively for the
purpose Of red sing grievances
and righting wrongs. The con-
stitution and guarantees Of this
government give men the right
to work or quit work Individual
ly or collectively.
The mine workers, therefore,
are but exercising the right
guaranteed by the constitution
and which cannot be taken away
by the representatives of gov
eminent when they quit work or
when they refuse to work until
their grievances are adjusted.
The mine workers representa-
tives are ready, willing and anx-
ious to meet the coal operators
for the purpose of negotiating an
agreement and bringing about a
settlement of the present I'M
happy situation. They will re-
spond at any time to a call for
such a meeting and will honest
ly endeavor to work out a wage
agreement upon fair and eQui-
table basis. Such agreement alone
will put the mines in operation
and guarantee the nation an ade-
Quate supply of coal. We as
sert that the mine workers have
no other purpose in view-oth-
er than to secure working wage
agreement. All of their demands
are incorporated in the wage
proposal, submitted to the coal