The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1919-12-03
MINERS may
FACE CHARGE
OF CONTEMPT
Action Against Head Of
Unions Expected in Indian
apolis Operators Gather
to Consider Terms.
STRICT RULES PASSED
(By Associated Press,

tBy Associated Press,
INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 3.-Citations
for contempt of court, directed against
members OF the United Mine Workers
or America. and possibly against coal
mine owners. are expected within the
next "a hours as the government
next step in its efforts to bring about
an end Of the strike of bituminous
coal miners.
1t became known yesterday that q
mass Of evidence against alleged VIC.
lators OF the injunction against the
strike issued by United States Dis
trict Judge Anderson. has been col.
lected by agents Of the department OF
Justice and that proceedings will be
instituted Immediately Government
attorneys take the position that state
ments made by individual miners
which might be viewed as encourage
ment Of the strike or agreement by
any two members to refrain from
work constitute violation OF the in.
junction
At meeting Of the Indiana Bitum.
inous Coal Operators association at
Terre Haute last night the mine own.
ers were advised by Phil H. Penna
secretary of the association, to keep
their mines open and furnish employ.
ment to miners il any reported for
work.
No mines are operating in Indiana
and miners have shown a steadfast
determination to remain out until
some agreement other than that pro
posed by the government is reached.
Meantime the fuel shortage is becom.
ing more acute and each day sees ad-
d1tional forced curtailment OF industry
of the state.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 3.-Mine Cd.
orators from all parts of the country
gathered here today to work out de
tails OF the IA per cent wage increase
suggested by the government, for the
bituminous coal miners. While the
sessions officially were restricted to
operators located in the central com.
petitive field. representatives from the
other sections were on hand to gather
! facts on which to base their own
adjustments.
1t was said that the findings of the
central field committee probably would
De submitted to Fuel Administrator
GARFIELD for ratification, but that sew.
, eral days would be needed to work out
problems presented.
Officials are Optimistic.
Continued optimism in official cir
cles was marked, although production
figures available showed no Increase
in daily tonnage. This is now esti-
mated semi-officially at better than 40
per cent of normal. Operators repre-.
senting the Alabama fields gathered
for the wage discussion said produc-
ton, which had been normal there.
had dropped to about 80 per cent.
union representatives being active in
attempting to call men out Central
Pennsylvania mine owners reported
partial production, while West Vir-
g1nia. Kentucky and Tennessee repre-
sentat1ves were confident that the
NINE output soon would be back to
normal.
In the central districts, however.
| nardly pound OF coal is being pro-
duced except by wagon mines and a
strip pit or two, operators said.
CHICAGO. Dec. 3.-Further disnnn.
tion Of national industry because OF
the fuel shortage brought about bv
the strike of the bituminous coal min
ers was in prospect today. Regional
directors of railroads had authority to
annul passenger trains where the pub
lie would be the least inconvenienced
and many additional manufacturing
| plants throughout the country faced
shutdowns either through exhaustion
OF their coal supply or the strict rat
ioning decreed by the federal fuel ad.
| ministrator
State executives, who under an
| peals from their constituents for aid.
have sought ways and means for re-
plenishing the dwindling fuel supply.
| today virtually were without en-
couragement as regards increased pro.
duction. Only in isolated instances
were there reports of a change OF
| front on the part Of the miners.
Generally the workers adhered to
| their attitude of remaining away from
| the mines until better terms than the
IA per cent wage increase decreed
by the government were forthcoming.
Southern Strike Broken.
! A light ray OF hope, however, was
found in the optimistic reports from
operators OF the district embracing
southeastern Kentucky, Tennessee
and Virginia, that the backbone Of
the strike there had been broken; the
return to work of miners at one small
mine in Missouri with the statement
that they as Americans could not see
their neighbors suffer, and adoption
by miners Of one West Virginia sub
district of a resolution favoring q gen.
eral return to work under the II per
cent wage increase, until q satisfac-
tory adjustment is made"
| Continued on Page Tws;ve)