The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1919-11-07
MINERS ISSUE
STRIKE AL|BI
Operators Refused to Negotiate,
Despite Pleas and BeseeCh-
Ing, is Their Version.
DEAF TO WILSON WARNING
10 Voice Raised in Its Defense in
Conference, Says OfficiaI-Ready
And Anxious to Discuss New
Scale of Wages, Men Assert.

Indianapolis.-The outstanding con-
cluSion of a statement issued by the
conference of union mine workers of
ficials is that the blame for the Situa-
ton must be laid at the feet of the
operators. because "they had refused
to negotiate a wage agreement, not
withstanding the fact the mine work
ers' representatives had urged and
beseeched them to do So
The statement also set forth that
the union officials gave profound con-
sideration to the statement of Presi-
dent Wilson as it appeared in the
newspapers, and added that no COM
munication on that subject had been
received from the federal admins
The conference of United Mine
Workers, composed of members of the
international executive board, the
scale committee of the central COM
petitive district and the district presi-
dents, United Mine Workers of Amer
ica, gave most profound consideration
to the statement of the president OF
the United States, which appeared in
the public press recently, relative to
the Impending strike of bituminous
miners set for November 1. No COM
municatiOn was received by the inter
national officers of the United Mine
Workers of America from either the
president or any representative or
the federal government
A canvass of the entire situation
shows that a strike of bituminous
miners cannot be avoided. A regu-
larly constituted convention of repre-
sentativeS of the United Mine Work
ers, held at Cleveland, on September
%, ordered a strike of bituminOus
mine workers to become effective No
vember l in the event wage scale
was not negotiated before that time.
The highest authority in the organiza-
ton has acted in this manner, and no
representatives of the organization
have authority to set such action
aside. The facts are that the same
supreme authority which ordered the
pending strike is the same as that
which approved the contract Whlch
has now expired.
Responsibility for the strike rests
with the coal operators. They have
refused to negotiate a wage agree
ment, Notwithstanding the fact the
mine workers representatives have
urged and beseeched them to do SO.
The fundamental causes which
prompt the mine workers to take this
drastic action are deep seated. For
stationary. They appealed one year
ago to the federal fuel administration,
DIR. Garfield, and from him to the
president of the United States, for an
increase in wages sufficiently to meet
the increase in the cost of the neceS-
sarieS of life.
Their appeal was rejected and their
,.of,,cn1 Nntu-it hSt an1incr this
they continued mining coal until now
their contract expires, when they are
determined that their grievances must
be adjusted in a reasonably SatiSfac-
tory manner.
The courts have held that the work
ing men have right to strike and
may quit work either singly or collec-
grievances and righting wrongs. The
constitution and guarantees of this
free government give free men the
right to work or quit work individu-
ally or collectively.
The mine workers therefore are but
exercising the right guaranteed by the
constitution and which cannot be TAX
government when they quit work or
when they refuse to work until their
grievances are adjusted.
The mine workers representatives
are ready, willing and anxious to meet
the coal operators for the purpose of
negotiating an agreement and bring
ing about a settlement of the present
unhappy situation. They will respond
at any time to call for such a meet
ing and will honestly endeavor to
work out wage agreement upon a
fair and equitable basis, which agree
ment alone will put the mines in op-
GRAFTON and guarantee. the nation an
adequate supply Of coal.
We assert that the mineworkers
have no other purpose in vieW-other
than to secure a working wage agree
ment. All of their demands are in
corporated in the wage proposal sub
mitted to the coal operators, and each
and all are subject to negotiation.
Conscious of the grave responsible
ity resting upon the representatives
of the coal miners, we have DO other
alternative than to carry out the in
structions of the United Mine Work
ers' convention. The issue has been
made, and if it must be settled epon
the field of industrial battle, the re-
sponsibility rests fairly and squarely
+Ln 1o, a1N