The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-30
MINERS STATEMENT

Indianapolis, Oct. 30.-The state
ment of the United Mine Workers, is
sued Wednesday night, follows:
1.-The conference of United Mine Workers
composed of members of the internatio
executive board, the scale committee of the
central competitive district, and the dis
trict presidents, United Mine Workers of
America, gave most profound consideration
to the statement of the president of the
United States, which appeared in the pub
lie press recently, relative to the impend-
ing strike of bituminous miners set for
November 1. No communication was re-
ceived by the international officers of the
United Mine Workers of America from
either the president or any representative
of the federal government.
"A canvass of the entire situation shows
that strike of bituminous miners can
not be avoided. regularly constituted
convention of representatives of the United
Mine Workers held at Cleveland, Ohio, on
September %, ordered a strike of btu
minous mine workers to become effective.
November l in the event q wage scale was
not negotiated before that time The high
est authority in the organization has
acted in this man er and no representa-
tives of the organization have authority
to set such action aside. The facts are
that the same supreme authority which
ordered the pending strike is the same as
that which approved the contract which
has now expired.
"The responsibility for the strike rests
with the coal opera tors. They have refused
to negotiate a wage agreement, notwith-
standing the fact that the mine workers
representatives have urged and beseeched
them to do so. The fundamental causes
which prompted the mine workers to take
this drastic action are deep seated. For
two years their wages have remained
stationary. They appealed one year ago
to the federal fuel administration, Doctor
Garfield, and from him to the president
of the United States for an increase in
wages sufficient to meet the increased cost
of necessaries of life. Their appeal was
rejected and their request refused. Not
withstanding this, they continued mining
coal until now their contract expires, when
they are determined that their griel ances
must be adjusted in a reasonably salts
factory manner.
"The courts have held that the working
men have right to strike and may quit
work either singly or collectively for the
purpose of redreSsing grievances and
rightiug wrongs. The constitution and
guarantees of this free government give
men the right to work or quit work in
dividually or collectively.
1.-THE mine workers, therefore. are but
exercising the right guaranteed by the con-
stitutiOn and which cannot be taken away
by the representatives of government when
they quit work or when they refuse to
work until their grievances are adjusted.
The mine workers representatives are
ready, willing and anxious to meet the
coal operators for the purpose of .nego-
tating an agreement and bringing about
a settlement of the present unhappy situa-
ton. They will respond at any time to
call for such a meeting and will honestly
endeayor to work out a wage agreement
upon n fair and equitable basis which
agreement alone will put the mines in
operation and guarantee the nation an ade-
quate supply of coal. We assert that the
mine workers have no other purpose in
view-otheT than to secure a working
wage agreement. All of their demands
incorporated in the wage proposal sub
mitted to the coal operators and each and
all are subject to negotiation.
Conscious of the grave responsibility.
resting upon the representatives of the
coal miners, We have no other Alternative
than to carry out the instructions of the
United Mine Workers convention. The
issue has been made and if 1t must be
settled upon the field of industrial battle.
the responsibility rests fairly and squarely
upon the coal barons alone"