The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-11-12
Solemn WARMING
GIVEN STRIKERS
Attorney General; Palmer
Talks Plainly
SAYS LAW WILL.
BE ENFORCED

tltpS PRESIDENT ana the courts 10
Sustain Him. All Governmental Ma
chiEcry to be Used.
ing was given the United Mine Work
ers of America tonight by Attorney
General Palmer that resolutions Of
conventions and orders Of officers Of
organizations are not above the law.
Formal and final declaration Of the
governments policy OF dealing with
the coal strike was announced by the
Attorney General while officers Of the
miners organizations at indianapolis
were struggling with the question Of
how to answer the courts blunt and
peremptory command to rescind the
strike order.
Describing the strike as plain vio-
lation Of Federal statute, Mr.. Pal
mer, speaking with full authority Of
the government, announced that all
the power Of the United States/would
be exerted to enforce the mandate Of
the court.
Although no reference was made
in the Attorney Generals statement
to the pronouncement Of OrganiZd la
Dor, supporting the miners and de-
manding withdrawal Of Injunction
proceedings, it was evident that Mr..
Palmer had that document in mind
and official Washington accepted his
declaration to mean that refusal OF
the miners to cancel their strike or
der would mean q fight to the bitter
end.
The statement OF the Attorney Cen
eral, which was construed as a reply
to the position Of organized labor as
set forth last night by the American
Federation Of Labor's executive coun-
Gil, follows:
The coal strike is plain violation
OF Federal statute. This has been
the governments position from the
start. The President declared it to be
unlawful and the court, after full
hearing, has now declared it to be un
lawful
be enforced. This same law has been
enforced many times and the depart
men; Of justice has other cases now
pending which were brought under
H. The merits Of the controversy be-
tween the operators and the miners
are not involved in the court proceed
ing3 at indianapolis, neither is the
right 10 strike. Nothing that the gov
crnmcnt has done Is intended or de-
signed TO have any effect upon the re-
coSnizcd right Of labor TO organize, 10
bargain collectively through its un-
ions, and under ordinary industrial
conditions, TO walk out by concerted
action.
The proposal by the President of a
peaceful settlement Of the matters at
Issue between the operators and the
miners, through negotiation or arbi-
tration. was rejected, and the govern
mcnt. therefore, faced the alternative
OF submitting to the demands OF q
single group to the irrcparable injury
OF the whole people, or Of challenging
ihc assertion by that group Of power
greater than that Of ihc government
itself.
confronted with such choice
thc governments duty was pcrfcctl!
clear; it refused to surrender to th'
dictation OF a group and it propose:
to assert its power to protect itacl
and the people, whom it is designed
to serve. THO government is no re
spcctor of persons in the enforcement
OF the law. Those who conceive tha
the resolutions Of a convention or tn
oricrs\of the officers Of any Organiza
ton in the country, whether labor or
ganizaion or any other, are supcrio
in authority to the law Of the lane
will find themselves mistaken.
Il assume that the order OF tn
court will be obeyed. The President
offer for peaceful settlement rs sti
open and I hope that the miners an
operators will now get together an
settle their controversy"
There was no attempt In official @
labor circles tonight to conceal tn
feeling that the situation was extreme
~ grave and getting beyond the que!