Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-10-27
MINERS REPLY To
WILSON s DEMAND
To HALT WALKOUT
Is Be INC AWAITED
Nj, ,e Country Is Anxious to
Know What Reply Coal
DiggerS Will Make to Blunt
Command of President,
COMMAND OF PRESIDENT
Resembling OF ORDER
Even If the Appeal Is 0oeyed,
This viii Not Mean That the
Dispute Is Finally Settled,
1t is Claimed.

isY MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wiREI
Washington, Oct. 26-The whole
country waited eXpectantly today for
the miners answer 10 President Will
sons blunt command that the soft
coal strike orders for Saturday be
called off There was not a word,
however, to show where the United
Mine Workers of America stood. or
what the government would do in the
event the presidents solemn warning
that the mines must be kept In full
and continuous operation was ig-
nored
Considering the temper Of labor,
official Washington took the view
that while there was hope of COM
pliance by the half million miners.
who had been ordered out, there was
no absolute assurance that the presi-
dents letter--part appeal and part
command---would bring peace 10 the
coal fields But there seemed to be
no doubt of the governments deter
mination to see that the people OBJ
tanned an adequate coal supply to
keep them from suffering and permit
| the nations vast industries to con-
| tnue operation
While declining naturally to COM
ment on the future course of action
should the strike take place, members
Of the presidents cabinet intimated
that the government would not sit
with folded hands in the face Of
threatened industrial disaster.
Lewis Speeding Homeward.
| John l., Lewis. president OF the
United Mine Workers of America, the
one man whose word would have
most weight with the half million
| fn pIlt M
with labor leaders here. while speed
ing homeward to take personal
charge of the strike. Lewis left Wash
ington last night for Springfield. ILL.,,
! proclaiming to the last that the situa-
tion was unchanged and the union
was still ready and willing to nego-
tiate s. new wage agreement.
So far as 1t concerned the contro-
versy between the miners and opera
tors, the outstanding declaration by
President Wilson was that the war;
time agreement, which the miners
contend no longer exists still is in
full force and effect and will stand
during the continuance of the war;
but not beyond April |. 1920" Look
ing at it in "a practical way" Lewis
and the full scale committee have
steadfastly maintained that the war
ended with the armistice and that the
miners for a full year. have worked
at the old wage as their voluntary
contribution to the job of helping the
country get back to normal.
There was suggestion tonight that
the cabinet might decide to send
Secretary of Labor Wilson to Indian
apois to confer with the executive
board of the United Mine Workers OF
America which will meet there We'd
Y,Aa Tu1 lan La u I.nA
in view of the efforts made by the
secretary to settle the strike and In
the light OF the presidents emphatic
announcement that the mines had to
remain open, personal word spoken
to members of the board might pave
way for peace.
Lewis Has Power to Act.
The strike call was issued and
signed by the. executive officers of the
United Mine Workers Sin conformity
with the authority vested by the inter-
national convention" at Cleveland on
September 23, and while President
Lewis declined while here to discuss
this phase of the question, II is held by
the men who had the power to order
II the strike likewise have the power to
call IT off. Some labor officials have said
the executive board could act for the
whole organization and that Lewis and
the other executive officers would hold
up or withdraw the strike order If they
saw fit to do so.
James Lord, president Of the Mine
Workers division of the American
| Federation of Labor declined to COM
ment on the strike situation
1t was said tonight there would be
no announcement of the governments 8
policy respecting operation of the