Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-10-26
RECALL ORDER To
WALK OUT NOV. |
IS ULTIMAT I'M OF
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Mr.. Wilson, With Approval of
Full Cabinet Membership,
Takes Hand In Threatened
Tie-Up of Coal Fields.
WILL ENFORCE LAW AND
PROTECT PUBLIC, SAYS
Cessation of Operations At
This Time Would Impose
Untold Hardships and Suf-
feringS on Innocent Public.


Washington, Oct. 25.-Hoiding the
impending coal strike to be not only
unjustifiaDle but also unlawful, Presi-
dent Wilson in statement issued to-
night with the support OF his entire
cabinet called on the coal miners of
the nation, both union officers and
members, to resclnd the strike order
effective November l.
The president declined to enter into
the merits of the controversy between
the miners and operators. but em
phatically declared that the strike,
which he characterized as the most
far-reaching proposal in the nation S
history to restrict production and DIS
tribution of all necessaries of life, had
apparently been ordered without
vote of the individual miners concern
ed. For this reason the president
served definite notice that the law
will be enforced and the means will
be found to protect the nation in
any emergency that may arise out of
this unhappy business
Matter Discussed With Cabinet.
The presidents statement was is
sued tonight after his cabinet had
gone over the entire situation with
secretary Wilson OF the labor depart
and operators together IN negotiations
had failed. The cabinet, with only
Secretary Lansing detained at his
home by Illness. missing. met first in
the morning and again tonight. ftsRt
AamraI Grayson, the presldeht per-
sonal physician, was summoned to the
evening session Apparently he
agreed to the submission of the mat
ter to his patient for soon afterward
the cabinet meeting broke up and the
presidents statement was issued.
The president reviewed the steps
leading up to the strike call, incfud-
ing the Cleveland convention of the
United Mine Workers of America, one
month ago at which the demands for
a thirty-hour week and a so per cent
increase in wages were formulated.
The war in itself, the president as
serted, was still a fact, peace negotia-
tions still in suspense and troops still
being transported. Because of these
factors and the added consideration
that victims of the strike would be
among both the rich and poor of the
nation, the president said the pro-
posed wakout could only be consid-
cred as unlawful. and as the nations
executive entrusted with enforcement
of the law, he would use the means
at his disposal to prevent any stop
page of work.
Government Offers Mediation.
The services of the government as
a mediator. offered yesterday by the
president through Secretary Wilson
but not accepted, were again held out,
the president declaring that he held
himself in readiness at the request of
either or both sides to appoint COM
70 cit
to effect an orderly settlement of dis
puted questions with due recognition
of the rights of the miners. the oper-
ators and the public.
There was no direct intimation of
what steps the cabinet had discussed
to prevent stoppage of work should
the presidents solemn warning to the
miners to rescind the strike order fail
of result. 1t was regarded as signifi-
cant, however, that attention was
drawn in White House circles to the
statements made by Secretary Baker
in a recent address in Cleveland, when
Mr.. Baker announced that depart
ment commanders had been directed
to furnish troops at the request of
governors without referring the mat
ter to Washington. Major General
Wood in the central department has
already exercised that authority In
the steel strike situation,
The Presidents statement.
The presidents statement follows
"On September 23. 1913, the con-
vention of the United Mine Workers
of America. at Cleveland, o.. adopted
proposal declaring that all con-
tracts in the bituminous field shall be
declared as having automatically ex-
pired November l, 1919, and making
various demands, including a 60 per
cent increase in wages and the adop-
ton of a six-hour workday and five
day week, and providing that, in the
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