The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-11-05
Coal. MINERS
ARE DEFENDED
Head Of Federation Asserts That
the Mine Owners Are TO
Blame for Strike
| COMMENTS ON
COURT ORDER
ON
COURT ORDER
Veteran Labor Leader Seems to
Have Lost His Clearness Of
Vision and judicial Tenapera-
ment.

Washington, Oct 31-Samuel
Gon1pers, speaking tonight for organ
lied labor. declared tie injunction il
the ccal strike case can only result
in creating new and more disturb
ing Issues which ma rot be confined
sclely to the miners
The statement. issued Jointly by
Mr. Gompers, Vice President NoH
and Secretary Morrison OF the fed
Grafton after they had protested TO
Attorney General Palmer against the
action Of the federal court at IN
dianapolis. follows:
"ThrouSkout the period Of the War
and during the nations time of stress
the miners labo-ed patiently. patriot
ically and arduously in order that
The principles of freedom and de-
nlocracy might triumph c?er the
forces Of arbitrary authority, dictator
ship and despotism.
When armed hostilities ceased last
November the miners found them
sclevs in the parodoXical position
where their intensive labor was used
to further enrich the owners OF coal
mines and merchants dealing in coal
by the immediate reduction OF the
mining of the coal OF course, the
mine owners readily conceived that
an overahundancc Of mined coal
would seriously disturb the high
prices Of coai and endanger their large
margin CT profits.
On the orher hand the miners
found that with the constantly rising
coat O; necessities of life and with
their income reduced; over 80 per cent
because Of idlenesa that they had
reached the limit OF human endur-
ancc. Orderly and improved process
cs were invoked to negotiate new
understanding with the mine owners
which would enable the miners to
work at least five days during each
week throughout the entire year and
allow them wage sufficient TO enable
them to live in decencE and free from
many Of the pressing uncertainties OF
life
I'm attempting to negotiate this
new understanding and relation the
miners found that their plea for coz
t:iiilous employment would destroy
the mine owners' arrangement to
cr.tail the mining OF coal so as -
continue exploiting the public with
high and exorbitant prices.
The mine owners very c!evcrly
met the issue by appearing willing
and anxious to reeotiatc. but only If
the miners would first throw aside
the only power at their command
to gain a respectful Bearing AID fair
consideration-tilc decision 10 S;riA2
whenever il was demonstrated fair
dealings did not prevail!
we are now faced with n coal
strike OF vast magnitude. The gov
crnmcnt now proposes 10 intervene
.,ccal. Of Il pn;:;:!!,!c coal shortage.
Apparently the government i:: no.
concerned With the manipulation b.: !
the mine owners which has made 90:
present coal shortage and undue un-
emplovnlcnt of tic miners for tho
last II Gouths in::;n;i, Of dealing
with those responsible for this grave
menace TO tic pus:lie welfare II now
proposes 10 punish those who by
-orcc Of circumstances have been the
yic1in,:: of tEc cc:;l har"lis c&pioitH-
lens. The miners are n"w told IL"
va, IS no; over a:i,l shat all w-.ar leg
isia.ion s still IL force and ii reports
,.ccn:yed here arc correct tho govern
mont intends To ap2iE existing war
measures. not aEains' ;E" owners oil
the coal mines. but a@air&t the coai
miners. The government has taken
steps 20 enforce war measures by al
Injunction ard it has restrained the
officials of the United Mine Workers
from counselling. aidins or in am
way assisting the members; Of this
for relief aa%lnst grey