Arizona republican., 1919-10-30
[RepubIIean A. p. Leased Wirel


 WASHINGTON, Oct. 29.-The posi- ton of the government in the inn pending coal strike was announced to- night as follows:
 There can be no doubt that the government has the power in the pub lie interest, under the law, to deal with the projected strike of the bituminous coal miners, without infringing upon the recognized right of men in any line of industry to work when they please and quit work when they please.
 The illegality of this strike can and will be established without in any way impairing the general right to strike, and the general right to strike is not in issue in any sense whatever in the present situation. This is true because the circumstances differentiate this case from the case of any other strike that has ever taken place in the coun- try. It does not follow that every strike is lawful merely because the right to strike is recognized to exist. Every case must stand upon it's ow1s bottom and be governed by it's own facts. Therefore when the president said in his statement last Saturday that such a strike in such circum- stances is not only unjustifiable but
 
 the conditions in the impending situ- ation
 Did Not Terminate Orders
 "The proposed strike was ordered in a manner, for purpose and with a necessary effect which taken together put it outside the pale of the law. After the war began, the production of fuel was regarded as one of the sub jects of such peculiar public import ance as to justify a special statutory enactment. The fuel administration was created to supervise the subject and matters of wages as well as prices were considered and sanctioned by the fuel administration. After the cesso ton of hostilities the fuel adminIstra- tion suspended certain of it's orders but did not terminate them, and they are subject to reinstatement at any time upon the presidents order and the statute under which the orders were made is still in full force.
 With this situation existing. the convention of the United Mine Work CTS at Cleveland last September de- cided to annul all wage contracts on November 1, and took the unpreced- ented step of deciding in advance of any opportunity for consultation either with the government or with the coal operators, to strike on November 1, unless satisfactory new arrangements should be made
 Workers Not Consulted
 Without any expression from the workers themselves, the organization promulgated a demand for 50 per cent increase in wages, a six hour day and five-day week and authorized a strike to be effective November 1. before the demands were even pre- sented to the operators The demand for a new wage agreement covered only part of the coal fields. but the strike order was sent broadcast to workers in other fields where operators had been given no opportunity to even consider demands for increased wages or decreased hours. All this has been done while the miners in every field, through their right of collective bar gaining, had entered into solemn contract with the operators, fixing wages and hours for q definite periea which has not yet expired The op- orators upon thu insistenca s+of the president. indicated their Willingness