The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-11


ton of federal statute, a1r. Palmer,
speaking with full authority of the gov
eminent, announced that all the power of
the United States would be eXerted to en-
force the mandate of the court.
Although no reference was made in the
Attorney Generals statement to the pro-
nouncsment of organized labor, support
ing the miners and demanding withdrawal
of injunction proceedings, it was evident
that MIR. Palmer had that document i'll
mind, and official Washington accepted
his declaration to men the refusal OF the
miners to cancel the strike order would
mean fight to the bitter end.
Relterating that the strike of pitu-
minous coal miners is in violation of law,
Attorney General Palmer, in statement
tonight said in empathic terms that the
law would be enforced.
The Attorney General declared that
those who conceive that the resolutions
of a convention or the orders of the Off
GERS of any organization in the country,
whether labor organizations or any other.
are superior in authority to the law of The
land, will find themselves mistaken"
The statement of the Attorney General,
which was construed as reply to the
last night by tbs American Federation OF
Labors executive council, follows:
''The coal strike is plain violation OF
a federal statute. This has been the gov
ernment's position from the start The
President declared it to be unlawful and
the court, after full hearing, has now
declared it to be unlawful
WILL ENFORCE LAW
'All I can say is that the law will be
enforced. This same law has been en-
forced many times and the department of
justice has other cases now pending
which were brought under it. The merits
of the controversy between the operators
and the miners are not involved in the
court proceedings at Indianapolis, neither
is the right to strike. Nothing that the
government has done is intended or de-
signed to have any effect upon the recoS-
nized right of labor to organize, to bar
gain collectively, through it's unions, and
under ordinary industrial conditions, TO
walkout by concerted action
THE proposal by the President OF
peaceful settlement of the matters at IS
sue between the operators and the miners.
through negotiation or arbitration, was
rejected and the government, therefore.
faced the alternative of submitting to the
demands of a single group, to the irrepar-
able injury of the whole people, or OF
power greater than that of the govern
ment itself.
Confronted with such a choice, the
governments duty was perfectly clear.
1t refused to surrender to the dicta-
ton of group and it proposes to as
sert its power to protect itself and the
people, whom it is designed to serve.
The government is no respector of per-
sons in the enforcement of the law
Those who conceive that the resolutions
of convention or the orders of the of
ficers of any organization in the coun-
try, whether labor organization or any
other are superior in authority to the
law of the land will find themselves
mistaken.
IT assume that the order OF the
court will be obeyed. The Presidents
offer for a peaceful settlement is still
open and hope that the miners and
operators will not get together and
settle their controversy"