The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-12-20
|IERMS ENDING
| STRIKE AIRED
palmer Tells Senate Committee
II Was Case of Miners
Having to Yield
uCTORY FOR GOVERNMENT
Ogle, Testifying for Operators,
Said Terms Had Never Yet
Been Accepted by Them

II Washington, Dec. 19.-Attorney Cen
L. Palmer told the senate coal in
|restigating committee today the full
Etorv of his own and the general gov
Is-Hments action in connection with
[|5e coal strike, and concluded with the
Hieclaration that it was the firm,
Hsrong hand of the government that
8snally forced the miners to yield
4 Alfred NJ. Ogle, chairman of the
! Executive committee of the bitumin-
bus coal operators association testi-
! led that Palmer endeavored on Dec
||ember 5th to induce the operators to
3cmpromise with the miners on a
E|sasis of more than fourteen per cent
Increase in wages, suggested by Fuel
n administrator Garfield.
! 0gle said Palmer told the operators
l number of union leaders in Jail,
Il thus pTecipitating a terrible indus
/ U,rial situation" Ogle said the oper-
||ators refused the proposal on the
|gounds that it was a "cowardly, das-
Hardly surrender of the rights of the
I tu6ic and government
/ Ogle said the operators have not yet
|sgreed to the governments proposition
IEhch he said never had been put be-
fore them.
II Termination of the strike was not
I settlement, but a victory for the
government, Attorney General Pal
ner told the senate subcommittee in
Iestigating the strike.
i The government has won its fight
]lr Palmer said. There was no set
ement, in actuality; the men and the
|nion officers have complied with our
Demands and returned to work.
Mr.. Palmer said department Of justice
Ection in the coal strike began with the
H Ireparatjon of an Injunction proceeding
Brought against officials of the miners
hnion under the Lever law.
II We sought 10 prevent the strike
said, by enjoinfng the union Of
cers from carrying on the strike
hey had already ordered
You have never changed your mind
hat the strike was breach of law?''
gan inquired
7 never have" Mr.. Palmer returned
The Injunction was issued and is still
effect He added that now the
-ineTs are obeying the order of the
lurt."
Did they always obey itae Senator
townsend asked.
The letter of the court order was
6eyed from the first" said MIR. Pal
ar
tually back to work. it was not SO
siccessful as We had believed.
You considered that the order was
0lated, did you not?" Senator Town
snd inquired.
/ did and we instituted further pro-
eedings because we had some evidence
nal the order was not being obeyed
good faith by some OF the union Of
tcials.
6taHd jury investigation involving
ae entire question Mr.. Palmer said
vas still going on. Mr.. Palmer ex-
PANIED the injunction was not intended
order men back to work. but was
-eaded TO separate the strikers from,
~TF leaders and the union funds.
was there anything said to the de-
'-uant officers of the union which
'aia make them understand that nc
S'her prosecution would be COM
lenced against them?" Senator Town
@aa then inquired
no word" Mr. Palmer said.
MI Palmer described the openins
"egotauons through Secretary o.
@v0r Wilson between the operators
miners in an attempt to reach {
"enent and the Intervention of fue
-lnlnistrator Garfield.
Alter a deadlock ensued in wash
S.oN Mr.. Palmer said DIR. Gar
49, VAS brought in and he told
'Lefators and miners that the
oar. " coal could not be increased one
- pay wage increases basing his
~. On calculations which he made
wage increase of Ia per cen,
"e given the men and paid by
operators without increasing the
s5.. At Price of coal.
ms proposal the miners rejected
vi parties returned home.
!. '--'er negotiations had all failed
amer continued, Il settled dowr
n. through the fight to the end, re-
~ 10 see the injunction order
as best as 1 could. in the hope
Y'oouction of coal would be grad
Presumed.
the afternoon of December 8
S d. heegan, an employe of tbs
n 'i1eht Of labor came to me and
ne Ne was convinced if John Lewis
81 "illian Green president and Sec
Vi the miners union. could sit
ana talk to me, the matter coult
sasily settled.
Ia, sO'o MN l was perfectly willing
In Wouldn't invite them. but wouit
LIN In them if they cared to come
.Ned with Lewis and Green owe
H.. pAone and told me they wouls
EF.9 9s.,..