The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-25
VIII Act Unless Washington
Solves Strike in SO Hours.
Investigate Housing Conditions
for Miners and Troops.
HOWAT FACTION NOT VIOLENT
Opposes State Plan, but Is Rec
Onciled to Operation.
Governor May Use American
Legion and Students.


provide coal strike solution in SO
hours will result in call for volunteer
workers in the Kansas coal mines.
That was the announcement from
Pittsburg today by Governor Allen in
telephone conversatio with prsss
representatives. Housing conditions
IN Crawford Cherokee district are be-
ing investigated today with a view OF
providing shelter for volunteer mine
workers and probable federal troons
Governor Allen wired to Col. E. A.
Heimick of the central department In
Chicago, asking that troops be held in
reserve. 1t is probable troops will be
sent TO the southeastern Kansas dis
siict from Camp Funston. They will
De called only in an emereencv the
governor told the newspaper men
There will be no trouble from the
miners IN the district in their present
MOOD, Governor Allen asserted. ,.Thev
are reconciled to the fact that pro-
pose 10 work the strip mines and the
olnky mines of the field. / have asked
colonel Helmick, tho, TO have troons
IN readiness in case we should feel
that they are needed"
Howat Clan Stands Pat.
reports which reached Topeka from
the mining camps today Indicated that
the Alexander Howat faction is stand
n
open the mines. 1t is not believed. tho.
tnat they will attempt violence ~.
create disturbances in event volunteer
workers are sent into the fields Tba
men nave been asked TO await results
OF tne washington conference and viii
before yielding.
me governor was una Bile to estimate
tooay the number of men needed TO
operate The strip mines and small
mines OF the Crawford Cherokee dis
trict. More than 10, 900 mine yrorf..,..
In the field are on strike. Not al ~
ehe mines affected by the strike can he.
reopened with unframed labor n 5s
peneved' tho, that the big strip mines
San De operated. The strip field and
1 900 tons VI
One vein of coal few feet under
the surface of the soil will be onened
TINS week by volunteers should they
Accept Legion Services.
My plans are now being laid TO cal,
Tor volunteers in event the Washing
=, , ton conference fails to produce results
today or Wednesday," Governor Allen
SAID over the telephone I'VE will
doubtless accept the services Drof
iered by large number of MEM
| Ders OF the American Legion as we'll
as students from some of the schools
and men who have had limited expert
ence in mine work. A number of
union men In the field have promised
/ to return to their jobs | havs. also
received letters from union workers in
other fields who are willing to come
| to Kansas"
Charles I. Martin, adjutant general,
! is in Pittsburg today with Governor
Allen. General Martin is makint.
survey of the housing situation In
1 event volunteers are called and troop
protection is sought. the housing prob
| lem viii be settled in advance of the
arrival OF the men. The governor said
| ne could not estimate at this time the
number of workers to he called or the
number of troops which might be
| asked of the federal government
My wire to Colonel Helmick was
merely precautionary" he said.
Several thousand Kansans-includ-
ing 1900 students from the State Agri-
| cultural college at Manhattan=have
volunteered to dig coal for the state
/ in the present crisis
No Operation Today.
| None of the mines in the southeast-
ern Kansas field are being operated
| today.
How soon may the mines be opened
IL volunteers are asked?" was a ques-
ton to the governor today.
] Il believe we can have a sufficient
, number of men here to begin opera
IlOn OF the mines saturday. he S3iH.
IF / should follow this course, a call
would doubtless be issued some time
| Wednesday. The question of trans
portation and care of the men in the
| fields would then determine the speed
we would be able to make in starting
work
Governor Allen will leave Pittsburg
! tonight for Topeka He expects TO
direct future opera tions from here.
There is little prospect that he will
| hold further conferences with either
the operators or mine workers
successor to willard Titus. re-
| ceiver on behalf of the mine workers,
has not been named. The governor
stated that a successor to Titus might
not be suggested to the supreme court
until later in the week. Mayor SeTnple
of Fort Scott and Ben S. Gaitskill of
| Girard al the two receivers now on
! the job. Full power for the operation
| of the mines has been placed in the