The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-10-29

Washington, Oct. 29.-The
government is prepared to take
drastic steps to deal with condi-
tions arising in the coaltields it
the executive board of the
United Mine Workers of Amer
lea permits the strike order to
stand. This became known to-
day after Federal Fuel Admins
istrator Garfield had been SUM
moned from Massachusetts to
discuss the situation with Secre-
tary Tumulty.
viii Issue Statement.
The grounds on which this decision
was reached will be explained in a
statement to the public which prob
ably will be issued late today. A
committee to draw up this statement
was appointed and given three hours
in which to prepare It, the confer
ence adjourning until q pm.
To Meet Local Need.
Washington, Oct. 29.--After long
distance telephone conversation with
| Hale Holden, regional railroad adj
ministrator for the Colorado district,
| Director General Hines, of the rail-
| road administration, stated this after
noon that he had learned that the
! Ignite coal In transit in Colorado had
been Communicated by the regional
! director 1t was stated that it was
done to meet a purely local situation.
The railroad administration de-
clared that no orders had been issued
for such general practice and none
| were contemplated.
Determination Unchanged.
More than half million soft coal
miners of the country will strike at
midnight Friday. The determination
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea to walk out to enforce their de-
mands for increased wages and bet
ter working conditions is unchanged.
This was apparent when the con-
; ference of miners officials, called to
frame reply to President Wilson's
demand that the strike order be re-
scinded, was adjourned at l o'clock
this afternoon.
Nothing need be expected from
this conference that will in any way
change the strike plans" it was as
Not one word Of dissent was offered
when representative after represent
ative from the various districts Of
fered approval of the strike program.
it was said
A statement to the public, which
will embody also the conferences re-
ply to the president, was to be pre-
pared by a committee this afternoon
and presented to the conference when
it reconVenes at 4 o'clock
100 Per Cent. Behind Strike.
The miners are 100 per cent be-
hind the strike plan, the district off,
cias told the conference.
The presidents statement-it has
never been received by the miners ex-
cept through the press-has not
changed the attitude of the men one
whit officers of the miners declared.
The men consider Mr.. Wilson's plea
as an aid to the operators, and it has
, aroused only resentment on the part
of the miners, it was brought out in
speeches by district officials, after
Acting President Lewis had ad-
dressed the conference at length on
the strike program.
Two Possible Outlets.
Only two possibilities appeared to
stay a tie-up of the btuminous coal
production of the United States
| drastic action by the government or
. oyorturcs from the operators paving
the way for an agreement.
Status quo prevails" was the final
q; word Of John T. Lewis, acting presi-
dent Of the mine workers, as the
doors Of the conference room closed
. upon fhe executive session.
"If put to a vote. 95 per cent. of
the working miners would approve
the strike asserted William Har-
, gcst, secretary Of the Pittsburgh
district organization.
The miners are not discussing
threats to use troops to keep the
3 mines running, it was said. THAT
would only add fuel to the fire. We
(Cop+ipuad IN pa1a TNuak,aA