New-York tribune., 1919-10-27
LelUis Silent ON
President s Edict
Refuses to Reply SpeciG-
coHy TO Mr.. Wilson's
Plea Against Strike

BLOOM1NGTON, H., Oct. 26.-John
L. Lewis, acting president OF the United
Nine Workers OF America, tonight de
clned to state specifically the attitude
OF the United Mine Workers toward
the statement of President Wilson yes
terday regarding the proposed strike
of the bituminous coal miners of the
nation.
In regard to this answer Lewis
would only say:
"I am an American, free born. with
all the pride of my heritage. | love
my country with its institutions and
traditions. With Abraham Lincoln, L
thank God we have q country where
government never be used to throttle
and crush the efforts of the toilers to
improve their material welfare and
elevate the standard of their citizen-
ship"
Executive Board Called
Mr.. Lewis said he had not received
any message from Washington, that he
had been travelling all day. He lett
Washington at o'clock Saturday even
ing to return to his home at Spring
field, which he left October s. He
added that yesterday morning at 10
O'Clock he had called d meeting OF the
national executive board of the United
Mine Workers to convene at Indian
apolis at 10 o'clock Wednesday morn
ing. He explained the meeting was
called before President Wilson's state
ment was made public. The gathering
had been called primarily to formulate
details of the strike.
When asked to make statement Oh
the right of the miners to strike No
vemher /, in the face OF the critical
conditions, he said:
"The coal operators have not offered
single constructive suggestion de
signed to avert this catastrophe. All
through the negotiations at Buffalo,
later at Philadelphia. and still later at
Washington, the miners waited in vain
FOR any counter proposal to be sub
mitted by the operators. During the
conference with Secretary Wilson at
Washington we said many times we
were willing to reenter negotiations
with coal operators without reserva-
tion to conclude the making of an agree
fnent forthwith. The offer that we
made was repeatedly declined. The re-
sponsibiHty or the stoppage of work
in the bitumi1ous coal districts must
necessarily lie with the coal operators. "
Answers Operators Contention :,
Mr.. Lewis was asked what answer
he had to make to the contention OF
the operators that the contract had not
expired
"Our contract read that 1t was to
continue IN effect during the period
until the war ended and not to exceed
March 81, 1920" he replied
The war is over. Our soldiers have
returned All the government war
vessel of war is even now heading for
New York, upon a peace mission In
substance, form and reality, the war
ls ended, and our contract has expired
We'll, now we are willing to stand
on the merit OF our proposal. This
so per cent increase is subject tc
negot, ations, as are all demands OF
the United coal miners, but they will
not even negotiate.
Asserts Pay Is SIS a Month
During the last twelve months ths
miners of the United States have aver
aged only SIS q month, or $500 for the
entire period. The men have worked
on an average of less than three dav.
week since the armistice was signed
Allen with families cannot live 0 NTH.
amount. Children IN mining camp!
are undernourished. This is q matte1
Of life and death to the wormen ant
children of the miners families as vel
as to the public. Charity begins q
home
"Our aim is to make shorter work
ing period and TO distribute the worl
over more days during the year. Tn.
miners IN England have seven hou
day. from bank to bank, which mean,
tromthe time they leave the surface o
the ground until they get hack Miner,
IN the United States have an eight
hour day. but thai doesn't count unit
they get to the face of the coal. The,
are IN reality working nlnc and hal
hours a day.