Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-10-31
a wage agreement which would avert
the strike In the bituminous industry.
Willing TO Meet Again.

a wage agreement which would avert
the strike In the bituminous industry.
Willing TO Meet Again.
"Our position remains the same to-
day. We shall hold ourselves In readi-
ness to attend any joint conference
which may be arranged by you upon
a fair basis and stand ready to recon-
vene the international convention OF
our organization whenever our scale
committee has received an honorable
proposition for presentation to such
convention.
the unprecedented and unwarranted
action of the cabinet AMI the president
OF tho United States In issuing the
statement of Saturday last has done
more to prevent n satisfactory settle-
ment Of the impending strike and the
working out Of a wage agreement than
any other element which has entered
into the situation.
"The presidents statement is
fiercely partisan document, because 1t
attacks the intention of the mine work
ers without even suggesting that the
mine operators may, have brought
about this unhappy situation; and, fur-
ther. because the. threat Is made to
exercise the full force Of the govern
ment to prevent stoppage OF work
without any corresponding threat to
exert the full force of the government
to enforce fair working conditions and
a living wage.
Warning Sad Commentary.
TT is, indeed, sad commentary
upon the principles OF square dealing
when the president Of the United
States and his cabinet by unanimous
vote ally themselves with the sinister
financial interests which seek to deny
justice to labor and precipitate our
country into Industrial turmoil. !
'The president states: The mine
workers projected strike is not only
unjustifiable, but unlawful He states
further: 1t is wrong both morally
and legally In other words. the pres
ident says it Is crime for the miners
to strike and threatens punishment
for the crime. ..
"May / point out to you that under
the laws Of the United States, beyond
any presidential amendment or abro-
cation. it is mot crime to strike; 1t
cannot be made a crime to strike and
that an individual cannot be punished
for striking as for the commission of
crime.
"The president of the United States
is the servant and not the master OF
the constitution. The constitution is
the supreme law Of the land. In the in
depreciation and application Of the con-
stitution, the decisions Of the supreme
court ~ Anal authority.
g u 49,. - - x1v,o ~ Not
25. 1918. threatens the invasion of the
constitutional and inalienable rights OF
American citizens. It. Ia the climax OF
q lonE. series OF attempted usurpations
Of the executive power.
The presidentiai statement an
|.nounced az It's excuse for this threat
ening invasion Of constitutional rights
that the war itself Is still fact
Two days later. however, in veto
message to congress. the president re-
fused to approve enforcement Of an
act which he said was passed by rea-
son Of the emergency Of war and
whose objects have been satisfied in
the rehabilitation Of the army and
navy
"Riaht One Day, Wrong Next"
IT the president was right on Mon
day, I submit. sir. that he was wrong
on Saturday.
"The presidential edict threatens to
deny to mine workers protection OF
both the thirteenth and fourteenth
amendments 70 the constitution. They
are threatened with involuntary servi-
tude by the presidential attempt to
make a refusal to work individually or
collectively q crime.
"This despite the fact that the SUI
preme court has repeatedly held that
under these amendments laborer cam
not be forced. even under the guise Of
contract obligation, to render invol-
untary service. The supreme court
has always asserted there is no more
important concern than to safeguard
the, freedom Of labor, upon which
alone can enduring prosperity be
| based
Thinks President Disabled.
1T is difficult to believe that the
president would have Issued such a
document had be been physically capa-
Bile Of exercising his own uninfiuenced
Intelligence in this most important
problem 2. !, 4
"Yet his statement Of Oct. rs threat
ems the mine workers with a sancti-
fled peonAge, demands that they per-
form involuntary service; proclaims a
refusal to. be q CRIME. when no such
crime exists. nor can such q crime be
| defined under the constitution.
1.-THE right and the duty rests upon
free American labor to maintain unim-
paired the constitutional privileges and
guarantees of all American citizens.
The United Mine Workers Of America
believe the great majority Of our citi-
| zenship will resent any trespass upon
these principles. r's'
Too Late, Says Moore.
Columbus, Oct. 31.--John Moore,
president Of the United Mine workers
Of Ohio, upon learning Of the injInc-
tion, declared that thousands OF
Ohio miners could not be notified in
time. to prevent them from striking
tonight.
! "We have no official notice of the
Injunction. and il we did have it would
be impossible to notify, the miners In
time. Many OF the miners will read
| OF the injunction In the newspapers,
but others will not see q paper for
several days"
No Comment from Colorado
Pueblo, Colo Oct. 31--H. G. Stew
art secretary Of the United Mine
workers of district 1b. when informed
of the issuing Of the temporary In
] junction announced that no OFFICIAL
! comment would be made until word