The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1919-10-30

coss n I'M lri3er Sc I, W
sss Al eitl,draNli FS
Washington, Oct LIN plain
4 xigOr oa,ss nasaAge the n President ii
the United States announced tonight
4 that the coal strike set for November
4 y cannot te permitted under the law.
Il Of the 10Y ernment for protection 81
IfsociEty. The government, he says,
I will use every means within its power
1 ~ prevent the strike and keep the
/ mines operating, .t
1ne decision means that unless the
miners call off the strike the govern
li1ent will not hesitate to use its mills
Itary power to keep, the mines rum
ming.
But the President hopes that sucn
action will not be necessary and APP
peals to the officers OF the union ami
to the miners as individuals at once
to recall all strike orders, announc-
ipg that he stands ready to see that
their differences with the operators
are fairly adjusted by arbitration.
1 he Presidents statement was 49,
sued tonight after his cabinet had
gone over the entire situation wi h
Secretary Wilson of the Labor De-
partment, whose efforts to bring
miners and operators together in me-
gotiations had failed. The cabinet,
with only Secretary Lansing miss
ing, detained at his home by illness.
met first in the morning and again
tonight Rear Admiral Grayson, the
Presidents personal physician, was
summoned to the evening session.
apparently he agreed to the submits
sion Of the matter to his patient, for
soon after, the Cabinet meeting broke
up and the Presidents statement was
issued.
The President, in his statement, re-
viewed the steps leading up to the
strike call, including the Cleveland
convention of the UniAd Mine
Workers of America one month ago,
at which the demands for 3o-hour
week and TO per cent increase In
wages were formulated.
The services Of the government as
mediator, offered yesterday bv the
Prsident through Secretary Wilson,
but not accepted, were again held out
in the statement, the President say
ing that he held himself in readiness
at the request of either or both sides
to appoint commission to invests
gate the situation to effect an orderly
settlement of disputed questions,
with due recognition of the rights OF
ihe miners, the operators and 4-t the
public. ~
There was no direct int;mation of
what steps the cabinet had discussed
to prevent stoppage of work shouri
the Presidents solemn warning to
the miners to rescind the strike Or
der. fail OF results. 1t was re ,ardec
as significant, however. that attention
was drawn in White House circles to
the statements made by Secretary
haker IN a recent address in Cleve-
land, when he announced that de-
partment commanders had been d. |
rected to furnish troops at the re-.
quest of governors without re erring
the matter to Washington. Major
General Wood in the Central De-
partment has already exercised that
authority in the steel strike situation,
The Cabinet determined that all re-
sources OF the federal government
would be used to prevent public dis
order III the coal strike Hope was
expressed that peaceful means will
be found to stop an industrial strus-
gle, and that way would be found
TO prevent the closing Of the coal
mines and the disruption of INDUSTRY
that would follow.
But if peaceful means fail, it was
made clear, the government must use
every agency at its command The
attitude of officials who attended the
meeting was that the government
must face Showdown; that facing it
low is better than postponing it, and
nat the public will back the govern
nent in whatever is done in the en-
'loyn1ent of forceful measures.
-. with regard to a miners strike l.,
-abinet members believed that it had
'etter come now than in the dead of
winter
1t was learned tonight thar the
government is relying ON the Lever
vet to combat the coal strike should .
develop to the stage where it :
you'd cause distress and suffering =
throughout the country. This was
determined on at the Cabinet meet :
ng today.
Inc Lever Act gives the President
road powers to take any steps nee
ssary to insure the continuous pro.
uction of,necessities during the war
mergency. which extends until the
reclamation of peace. Attorney
Palmer has declared the gct-
has ample power to at un- :.
er this law against anyone who {
ats production. Fuel is specifical- .
mentioned i'll the act. as is the 9.
'ord mime
Without further authority, it was o
ointed out. the President can take q
yer the mines for governmental op- u
ration. as it is provided any FAC .,
Try establishment, mine or plant" !!
N be thus seized to insure produc- ~
pa. The government also has 8 ::
'wer to act against strikers, as be- u
9 guilty Of stopping production. ~
+ ~. Is l