Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-10-30
PRESIDENT WILSON
WARNS THE MINERS
Tells Them in Special Message
Strike Would Be Crime.
MAY AVERT THE WALKOUI
Executive Goes Behind Strike Order
and Asserts Workers Did Not Vote
on Question-Army Ready to
Back Law.
MAY AVERT THE WALKOUT

Washington, Oct. 27.-The president
of the United States and the members
of his cabinet pronounced the proposed
strike of bituminous coal miners scned-
uled for November a crime against
the government and people OF the
United States.
They brand the strike both morally
and legally wrong and declare In d
statement to Ire public that the law
will be enforced and means be found
TO protect the interests of the nation
in any emergency that may arise OUT
of this unhappy business"
Will Not Permit Strike.
In plain, vigorous language the pres
ident announces that the strike cannot
be permitted under the laws Of the
government for protection of society.
The government, the president says,
will use every means within it's power
to prevent the strike and keep the
mines operated.
The decision means that unless the
miners call off the strike they and
their officers will be prosecuted for
high crime against the government.
1t means also that the government
will not hesitate to keep tho mines op-
Grating, even if it may be necessary,
to keep them running, for the govern
ment to operate them and protect them
with it's strong Sailitary arm.
But the president hopes that it will
not be necessary. to prosecute the
miners, and appeals to their officers
and to the miners as individuals at
once to recall all strike orders, an
nouncing that he stands ready to see
that their differences with the opera
tors are fairly adjusted by arbitration.
After the attitude of the government
had been informally discussed in Off
cial quarters outside. the cabinet, there
was a we'll defined opinion that the
miners would not continue to defy the
government.
Says Strike Unlawful.
After reviewing events leading up to
the strike call, and plainly declaring the
walkout was authorized without a ref
e~endum vote of the workers, the pres
ident says:
''The country is confronted with this
prospect at time when the war itself
is still in fact, when the world is still
in suspense as to negotiations for
peace, when our troops are still being
transported and when their means of
transportation is il urgent need of
fuel.
"From whatever angle the subject
may be viewed, it is apparent that
such a strike in such circumstances
would be the most far-reaching plan
ever presented in this country to limit
the facilities of production and distri-
button of necessity of life and thus
indirectly to restrict the production
and distribution of all the necessaries
Of life.
"a strike Under these circumstances
is not only unjustifable, it is unlaw-
fgl. q
"In these circumstances l solemnly
request both the national and the To-
cal officers and also the individual
members Of the United Mine Work
ers of America to recall all orders
looking to a strike on November 1 and
to take whatever steps may be neces-
sary to prevent any stOppage of work.
"It is time for plain speaking. These
matters with which we now deal touch
not only the welfare of a class but
vitally concern the well being, the
cou'fort and the very life of all the
people. I feel it my duty in the pub
lie interest to declare that any at
tempt to carry out the purposes Of this
strike and thus to paralyze the indus
try Of the country, with the conse-
auent suffering and distress of all our
people, must be considered a grave
moral and legal wrong against the gov
ernment and the people of the United
States.
'T can do nothing less than to say
that the law will be enforced and
means will be found to protect the in
forests of the nation in any emergency
that may arise out of this unhappy
business.
>"T express no opinion on the merits
of the controversy. have already sug-
.gested a plan by which a settlement
may be reached, and hold myself in
readiness at the request Of either or
both sides to appoint at once tribunal
to investigate all the facts with view
to aiding in the earliest possible or
derly settlement Of the questions at
issue between the coal operators and
the coal miners, to the end that the
lust rights not only of those interests
but also of the general public, may be
fully protected"
Old Friendship Sweet.
The years have taught some sweet,
some hitter laSSOnS-nonn uicnr fhon