Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-11-14
The Significant Ending Of
the Miners Strike.

v 10 happy outcome Tor ali concerned
that the officials OF the United Mine
Workers have complied with the Courts
mandate to rescind their strike order. The
way is thus opened for a renewal of peaceful
NEGOTIATIONS between the miners and the ope-
rators; and it is hardly to be doubted that
with due patience and sense OF fair play
ON both sides their differences on the sub
iect of wages hours of work and related
matters can be satisfactorily settled. Mean
while the production of fuel, on which the
comfort the business, the health and very
life OF millions of people depend, will be re-
sumed instead of being indefinitely suspended
or dangerously curtailed While the direct
parties to the issue arguing their case,
the public will not be left to face the win
er's rigor with empty coal bins; industry
will not be halted, transportation will not be
paralyzed; the calamity threatened by long
strike in this field Of vitality essential produc-
ton will not befall. Moreover, and incalcu-
lably more important, the supremacy OF law,
the sovereignty Of government is recognized
az applying to all men and all groups Of
men, whether of capital or labor. I'VE will
comply with the mandate Of the court" the
highest officials of the miners union de-
clare 1--WE do 1t under protest. (But) we
are Americans. We cannot fight our Gov
eminent"
A happy outcome, We say, for all concern
ed, and for none more than for the miners
themselves and the larger interests to which
all fields Of Labor should be devoted.
Consider the unfortunate and truly
un-American attitude in which these men
and their cause would have been placed ha1
their decision been contrary to what it is.
They would have been in a position of dis
regarding the law and defy1ng the Govern
ment back Of the law. Some there are, per-
haps, who would see nothing very grave in
such a state of affairs; some, perhaps, who
would welcome an opportunity to exhibit vto-
lent dlsrespect for the republics laws and
institutions. But these are not Of the Amer
lean manner. They are not of the character
and conviction of the United Mine Workers
heads, who stated the truth on which hang
all the statutes and indeed all the virtues Of
our democracy when they said: 1--WE will
comply with mandate of the court; we can
not fight our Government Obedience to
law Is the basis Of government, and the be-
ginning OF freedom. II 1t be o bad law. 1t
should be repealed; and means therefor are
IN the peoples hands. But while it is the
law, 1t must be obeyed If we are to continue
ordering our affairs by American principles,
fatner IMAM Mexican impulses or Russian
yagaries.
In the present case the law Is plain The
Lever act, as 1t Is commonly called, was
passed in 1917 for the express purpose of
preventing locally or generally, scarcity,
monopolization, speculation or manipulation
which might affect "the supply, distribution
ana movement OF either food or fuel "
ADOPTED IN time of war as indispensable
safeguard to national and public welfare
tnis measure carries within itself the terms
OF It's duration. 1t shall cease to be in Of
rect: as its own phraseology has it, when
the existing state Of war between the United
states and Germany shall have terminated
ana the TACT and date of such termination
snail De ascertained and proclaimed nv the
u. W. | G Oft 0R
kno"ledge that although the United States
Joined IN the armlstice q year ago the
treaty OF Peace has not been ratified ON
tn1s size OF the water, so that the ostate
VI war mas not been terminated It can
not be considered Terminated" ana 49,
President cannot so proclaim i, untt, t the
senate ratffies the pending Treaty. Tbe
provisions OF the Food and Fuel cor+ro1
&C. are therefore as binding TODAY 90 IN
1SII' IL this seem somewhat too literal - -
obstruction. 1t must be observed that M
otner plan for the termination ~ ~ ~
would have been sensible mr. rafo ~ Id"
PROVIDED for the cancelling of 40 assan+taI
measure nj public protection unon w.
signing OF mere armistfce or unon 49,
enIng iess certain and final than the act,o,
.a!iIicatlon OF the Peace Treaty and Tho -.
eTtrar pIociamat1on thereof would have beer
t1lmely hazardous. 1t is, therefore. an al
1oseIner reasonable and vital law nor n,ara
oead weight of technfcaIities With ~,
miners are called upon to obev. '-'>
And they are called upon to obev II on11
IN the same way and to the same extent ina
other groups and other interests are There
IS no discrimination whatsoever against them
The law Is enforced against boarding. agafns
monopoltzation, against the charging of nrice,
ahnVe certain maximum and against ever7
other transgression of its terms There car
be no reasonable dissent from Judge Ander
sons ruling that under this still effective ac
IT Is AN unlawful conspiracy for two or more
persons to arrange to limit the production G.
coal" II the operators of the mines haC
ventured into any such agreement, thereb,
threatening the country with fuel famin,
IN midwinter, would the Government hay,
hes1tated in its procedure? Would
any court in the land have hesitated a mo
ment in issuing an injunction against the Oh
orators? Would a policy that left the Law
unvindicated and the public perilously I'M
protected have been in any wise defensible
Well, then, on what justifiable ground coulC
the miners do the very thing which in other
would have been promptly brought to bool
as Illegal? Attorney General Palmer statec
the case precisely when he said that the mer
its Of the controversy between the operator
and the miners were not involved in thu
court proceedings at Indianapolis The ques
ton was not whether In ordinary circum
stances the miners had right to strike blu
whether at this extraordinary juncture, whel
~ wartime conditions and statutes still pre-
haU 81 oh IN cct az