Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-10
ISSUED
|. HOLDS INJUNCTION
AN AUTOCRAT|C ACT
Walkout Declared Justifiable
and Support of Public
Is Asked.
LEVER LAW HELD INJUSTICE
TO lIBERTY-LOVING PEOPLE
Manifesto Is Revised by Samuel
Gompers and Frank
Morrison.
BTTTEREST WORDS RESERVED
Government Action Asserted tn Be
an. Invasion of Rights of
Mine Workers.
sTTTEREsT WORDS RESERVED
IBv Associated Press.J

TBv Associated Pressl
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9-Holding
that the action of the government in
Injunction proceedings against tho
striking bituminous coal miners ia
80 autocratic as to stagger the hu-
man mind" the executive council OF
the American Federation of Labor de-
clared tonight, in a statement issued
after four-hour meeting, that the
miners walkout was justified prom-
iscd for the strike the entire support
OF organized labor and asked aid and
Endorsement for it from the general
public.
The Lever act. under which the gov
ernnent acted in the court proceed
insS. never was enacted to apply to
use against the miners was classed as
AN Injustice not only TO workers, but
@ TO an iiberty-loving Americans" The
nction @ was taken without any partici-
patton of William Green, general sec
retary of the mine workers, who is a
member; but all the remaining prin-
eipai ohlcers OF the American Fedora
ton OIL Labor were present.
Stntcment rs Formulated.
The council began it's sessions at Z
O'CLOCK, after Its members had been
hastily summoned together. and the
statement stat which formulated It's action
rison. president. and secretary. respec-
lively, of the federation.
sented at length tie history Of tho
negotiations which led up to and pre-
clpitated g.; ,sd the strike. declaring almost
OF the United Mine Workers did every.
thing in their power to avert this
great industrial struggle" 1t re-
comment on governmental action
thereafter.
There We're 1900 delegates, repre-
senting 100000 miners. seated in tho
convention Which called the strike. the
statement said. after briefly sketching
comp!a!nts of working conditions in
the industry which it is asserted tho
min miners seek to remedy by striking.
were taken through the usual COM
mittee into conference with the op-
orators, and then. the statement puts
ana applied for all Injunction"
Characterized M Invasion.
The statement characterized the ac.
ton as invasion OF the rights OF
miners. intended to starve the miners
s,tft .ntH submission omission by cutting of their
Withdrawal of the Injunction secured
saturday at Indianapolis ito restore
co,,n,ti comrdence -, In the Institutions OF our
by ali the facts in the case. the
miners strike is justified" it con-
GUIDED we indorse ii. We are con-
cause We pledge to the miners the
tu!i support OF the American Fedora.
tion OF Labor and appeal to the work.
s!s ana citizenship Of our country to
give like Endorsement to the men en-.
gagged in this momentOus struggle"
Discuss Work of Miners.
The statement OF the executive coun-
Gil! which members refused to inter-
pre- or discuss in any manner. and
Zens and our fellow workers" follows
in part:
: The executive council is OF the opin-
Mine Workers Of America did every
thing in their power TO avert this
great industrial controversy. Due con-
the danger surrounding the coal min
ers. The condition of the miner and
n, MS iamiiy Is such that he is practical-
fresh air. but to a certain extent he
IS deprived of the association and
fIompanonship Of all other human be-
class who are themselves engaged in
thc dangerous and unhealthy occupa.
ton of coal mining. Authentic statis-
tics show that the miners have lesa
than zoo days OF employment during
each year
the high cost OF living has presented
itse.i IN perhaps more serious form
IN isolated mining camps than in large
hdnstriat centerS. There is usually
not the same opportunity for the min.
ers n the mining camps to make their
purchases TO such advantage as is pre-
sented in other localities.
Efforts Are Described.
The statement then goes on to De.
scrips the efforts to reach an agree
menr with the operators at Buffalo aud
later In Washington. The miners scale
committee, it is said had full power TO
give and take in the Buffalo confer
ence but the employers refused to
make any offer whatever. Continuing,
the statement says:
The machinery which has existed
for years and which has been success.
full in bringing about agreements be-
tween the miners and operators, still
cX sts. and they are representatives OF
the miners were and are ready and
vii Ing To enter into negotiations
without reservation to reach an agree
mcnt
AT this time. our government inter-
tectea ITSELF and applied for an in
"a temporary restraining order was
granted. by a Federal Judge which re.
strains the officials OF the miners from
In any way advising their membership
on the situation, or contributing of
tho moneys of tho minc workers to