El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-11-11
MINERS CALL
OFF THE STRIKE
Court Approves Executive
Order Of Officials End
ing Walkout.

presidents. and members Of the execu-
tive board and scale committee,
reached its decision at $40 this
morning and adjourned five minutes
later to reconvene at . o'clock this
afternoon.
4Gentlemen, we VIII comply
with the mandate OF the court.
We do IL under protest We are
Americans. We cannot fight our
government. That D. ala
This was the statement Of John l.
Lewis. acting president Of the mine
workers. announcing the decision. and
other members Of the conference ap-
parently worn out by their long
hours OF discussion. declined 10 add to
the statement Of their chief and soon
dispersed.
The general committee had been in
session since shortly after 10 o'clock
yesterday morning. taking only brief
recesses for lunch and dinner The
proceedings were interrupted durins
the Afternoon session by the appear
ance OF United States marshal Mark
Storen and his deputies, who served
SO OF the officials with copies OF the
temporary Injunction. issued Saturday
and returuable December l. The
writs In the restraining order were
made returnable November 90
Hall Approaches Guarded.
During the day approaches to the
entrances Of the conference hail were
carefully guarded by a sergeant at
arms and during recesses a man re-
NAMED on guard iH the hall. but I'm
the later hours OF the conference the
sergeant at arms disappeared
The speeches ut times were impas-
stoned and voices from the hail rose
above the huhbub OF the hotel IN
which the conference was held. but
only a word now and then was dis
tingulshable. 1t is understood that
all phases Of the question were
argued and the effect various actions
might have on the organization en-
tered into the discussion. but accord
ing TO members. not vote was taken
on any subject until the action early
today was decided upon.
shortly before the conference ad-
lourned- president Lewis and William
Green secretary treasurer. held
long conference in the parlor Of the
hotel Developments after this con
ference came rapidly
Opens Way 10 Negotiations.
The recall OF the strike order VIII
open the way Immediately for a re-
sumption OF the negotiations De-
tween the miners and the operators.
as the operators have announced
that they would be ready TO consider
new wage agreement al any time
is also understood that the question
Of arbitration entered largely into
The discussion IN the final stages Of
the meeting. but the miners position
On this subject was not announced
early today
me coat miners would obey the order
resembling the strike Is rroblamati-
cal In some districts 10 was con-
sidered that the resumption Of work
would be general. while in others &c
would be only partial and in some.
Il was said, The return would be very
slow
The meeting was probably the
most momentous ever held by
the miners orEanizntinn- ~ not
the most Tci-hfy ever con
Quoted by a labor organization
IN this country. for, IN the view
Of labor leaders, IL was 10 de-
termine whether an Organization
would be forced by governmental
pressure through the courts to
discontinue strike. when nppar-
emily all the members Of the
union were behind the sFuIkout.
which was being conducted VITA
out any form Of violence or dam
age TO property.
Labor in general. as represented BY
the executive committee Of the
american Federation of Labor. had
offered its unqualified support to the
miners in their strike. while obedi-
ence OF disObedience OF g federal
court order hung in the balance. and
this fact gave miners representatives
who favored holding out an arru-
ment which weighed heavily with
some Of their colleagues.
On the other hand. the presidents
designation Of the strike as unlaw-
ful, placed the coal workers in the
position OF defyinE the government Of
the United States. II they refused TO
call off the strike and. aside fr0ln