Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-10-31
PLAN LEGAL ACTION
AGAINST WALKOUT
United Mine Workers Officials
Send Message Denouncing
Presidents Attitude.
CALL 1T THAT OF USURPER
Officials Say They Will Call
Convention to Submit Any
Honorable Proposition"
tRv Associated Press1

lHDIANAPOLlS, Oct. 30.-Govern-
ment court action, intended to prevent
the strike of bituminous coal miners
from becoming effective tomorrow
midnight. was forecast here tonight.
1t was learned that John r. Crayton,
| special assistant to the Attorncy-Gen-
eral. in charge of the bureau of in
vestisation, had been in Indianapolis
all day directing a corps of investisa-
tors in this and adjoining districts.
| 1t was reported also .ha. a. b. An
derson. judge of the Federal District
Court, has been requested by the De-
partment of Justice officials to hold
himself available tomorrow and satur-
day.
These circumstances. taken in con-
nection with the departure from
washington Of C: B.. Ames. assistant
ment of the fuel and food control oct.
were taken as Indicative of a purpose
to seek speedy alienation of the in
dustrial crisis by court action.
Just what form the action would
take was not even hinted at by officials
on the ground The activity Of the
| ing.
Strike Order Holds Good.
At the end of their days work tomor-
row approximately 100000 bituminous
mine workers will walk out throughout
tue SoIt-COsli mine HelQS OF the Un1teu
States. according to officials nf the
United Mine Workers of America.
No indications are at hand to sup
called off or postroned.
| After dispatchinE to Washington a
telegram to Secretary OF Labor Wilson.
the coal strike was. characterized "as
bna.a snat OF ,Ss hsurper per- the executive
turned TO routine business.
Although the actual strike was less
than thirty-six hours away. the gov
afternoon % 10 " adjusting ' disputes T.e1 beo beo
tween locals and Individual members.
and at the end of their session said
in the proceedings.
Demand "HonornbIe Propositions,
message from Secretary Wilson
was received which was not given to
the public. bat the reply indicated that
the secretary offered TO call a confer
ence OF the miners and employers.
which offer was accepted in the fol-
we shall hold ourselves in rendi-
ness to attend any joint conference
which may be arranged by you upon
Vene the international convention of
our organization whenever our scale
COMMITTEES has received an honorable
proposition for presentation to such
Union headquarters were frankly in
terested in the arrival here tomorrow
OF I. IL. AmeS, assistant to the Attor-
ney-General, In charge of suits brought
under the antitrust. and fuel and food
control laws.
The union leaders learned With ap-
parent equanimity that there had been
nH1suaI nf tSa a activity among local agents
fessed faith that their every act had
been under warrant OF constitutional
rights, which no statute could abro-
Law Officers NoncommittnI.
a I n Of Ga
trict Attorney. there was no announce-
ment as to what proceedings might be
s. Ert siaeE II FeE15a ara to the strike
was was said to be in Chicago. but mem
bers of his staff would not admit that
s ths 'siP spks eers had anything to do with
was expected back at his desk here
owners and public could rest assured
iinat ina no act of the organization would
be be allowed to work physical damage
out that the strike order provided that
iocal unions must allow sufficient
proper care and protection Of ali mine ine
lEg properties in conformity with the
provisions of, the district agreements
IN the several fields"
1O1S Record Not Industry. Limit
that the demand for sixIhour woSks
Ing II, day was calculated to reduce pro-
puNl'ou. tuc or the union
asosmPle% asoSad ID tfsures. cures which they said
produetion Of ssS.ooo. 600 ions peaf Of
lh;itnminous coal in 1915 was not the
They said this was dug with the
mines averaging only about 10 per
cent cent, Of Of, capacity. and with the skilled
ssrTss in the army. Out Of possible
sad, said w Western osn ,Psnnsyivaania miners
bitumnous tonnage came from those
States
Against this record they set figures
the mines had operated at not to en-
coed so per cent of the time. Despite
this reduction in time. they said the
oetober Waa q 6e eoSntpy oS up
1o3, ,00o.o 600 tons less than in the same
period of 1918.
Average But $50 Days This Year.
They estimated that the mine work. |
ers VIII not average more than 1s0
that a full working force WORKING
steadily throughout the year can pro-
duce soO.0oo,oOO tons il need be. They
try oh ohe 1926 weTe geeas % the
"These figures show" said Ellis
Searles, editor OF the unions magazine.
that there are too many miners In !
day. The shorter day would distribute |
the work evenly throughout the year |
and 1t would take only short time |
to educate consumers to, buy on the
basis of steady, rather than seasonal |
production. F'N |
Like Work in Dungeon.
"Furthermore, eight hours may be
short enough for men to work in tho \
fresh air and sunlight, but 1t Is too
Ions period for. continuous labor u,