Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-10-28
Statement of
President on
Coal Strike

u
declaring that all contracts in
the bituminous fields shall be
declared as having automati-
cally expired November l. 1919,
and making various demands
including a 60 per cent increase
in wages and the adoption of
a six-hour day and five day
week, and providing that, in
the event a satisfactory wage
agreement should not be Sc
cured for the central competi-
tive fields before November l,
1919 the national officials
should be authorized and in
structed to call a general strike
of all bituninous miners and
mine workers throughout the
United States, effective Novem-
Der /, 1919.
Pursuant to these instruc-
tions the officers of the organ
ization have issued a call to
make the strike effective No
vember l. This is one of the
gravest steps ever proposed in
this country, affecting the eco
nomic welfare and the domestic
p health Of the people.
War Still a Fact
1t would involve the shutting
down Of countless industries and
the throwing out of employ
ment of large part of the
workers Of the country, 1t
would involve stopping the oper-
atoms of railroads, electric light
and gas plants, street railway
lines and other public utilities
and the shipping to and from
this country, thus preventing our
giving aid to the allied countries
with supplies which they SO Sc
riously need.
The country is confronted
with this strike at a time when
the war itself is still fact,
when the world is still in sus-
pense after negotiations for
peace, when our troops are still
being transported and when their
means of transport is in urgent
need of fuel.
From whatever angle the sub
ject may be viewed, it is a fact
that such a strike in such CHM
cumStances would be the most
far-reaching plan ever presented
in this country to limit the facil-
tiles of production and distribu-
ton of the necessities of life and
thus indirectly to restrict the
production and distribution of all
the necessaries Of life.
Under these circumstances it is
not only unjustifiable, it is un-
lawful.
AL Interests Affected
1t is proposed to abrogate an
agreement as to wages which
was made with the sanction of
the United States Fuel Admin
istration and which was to run
during the continuance of the
war, but no tbeyond April 1
1920.
The strike is proposed at a
time when the government is
making the most earnest efforts
to reduce the cost of living and
has appealed with success to 9TH
err classes of workers to post
pone similar disputes until a
reasonable opportunity has been
afforded for dealing with the
cost of living.
1t is recognized that the strike
would practically shut off the
country's supply of it's principal
fuel at a time when interfer-
ence with that supply is calculat-
ed to create a disastrous fuel
famine.
All interests would be affect
ed alike by strike of this char
acter, and it's victims must be
not the rich only, but the poor
and the needy as well-those
least able to provide in advance
a fuel supply for domestic use.
Action without Vote
The action proposed has ap-
parently been taken without
any vote upon the specific prop
osition by the individual men,
bers of the United Mine Work
ers Of America throughout the
United States, an almost unprec-
edented proceeding l cannot
believe that any right of any
American workers needs for it's
protection the taking of this
extraordinary step, and l am
constitutes a fundamental at
tack which is wrong both moral
ly and legally, upon the rights
Of society and upon the welfare
of our country.
L feel convinced that indi-
Vidual members Of the United
Mine Workers would not vote,
upon full consideration, in favor
of such a strike under these
conditions.
When movement reaches the
point where it appears to in
volve practically the entire pro-
ductlVe capacity of the coun-
try with respect to one of the
most vital necessities of daily
domestic and Industrial life
and when the movement is as
serted i'll the circumstances |
have stated, and at a time
and in a manner calculated to
involve the maximum OF dan
ger to the public welfare in
this critical hour of our coun-
try's life, the public interest
becomes the paramount consid-
Grafton.
In these circumstances I
solemnly request both the ma
tional and the local officers and
also the individual members of
the United Mine Workers of
America to recall all orders
looking to a strike on Novem-
Der l, and to take whatever
steps may be necessary to pre-
vent any stoppage of worla
Time Of Plain Speaking
It is time for plain speaking.
These matters with which we
now deal, touch not only the well
fare of a class, but vitality con-
Germ the well-being. the comfort
and the very life of all the PEG
pie. l feel it my duty in the
public interest to declare that
any attempt to carry out the pur-
poses of this strike and thus to
paralyze the industry of the
country with the consequent suf-
fering and distress of all our
people, must be considered a
grave moral and legal wrong
against the government and the
people of the United States. |