Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-12-02
u. s. WILL SEIZE
MINES IF Strike
DOES not END SOON
Troops viii Be Used to Pro-
tect Miners Desiring to
Return to Work-0pefa-
tors Must Aid s.


and use of troops to protect all min
ers who desire to work, has been
decided upon by the government in +;
an effort to end the bituminous coal
strike, it was stated officially FRIDAY.
Operators or miners making any s
agreement or arrangement with each /
other to restrict the supply of coalsi
will be proceeded against as the law
prodives," Assistant Attorney Gem
eral Ames announced.
Secretary Baker, Mr.. Ames said, al |
ready has authorized commanders
when requested by state authorities /
to use troops TO preserve order. That /
policy provides protection for those I
desiring to work, he said.
In mines seized by the government {
the IA per cent wage advance agreed /
upon by the cabinet will be put into /
immediate effect, it was said. ,
These plans of the government /
were agreed upon by the cabinet |
last Wednesday, officials said, so az |
to meet the situation resulting from /
refusal of the operators or miners, /
or both, to agree to the governments
wage increase proposal.
Cabinet officers expected many !
mine owners to put into effect vol-
UNFAIRLY the IA per cent wage In
crease. Whether the mines of those |
refusing to do so would be seized |
was not stated, but 1T was said
there was no general plan for gov
eminent control, that each individ. /
ual case would be decided on dts
merits.
Mines taken over by the govern~ I
| ment will be operated by the fuel adj I
icfr hut foil
pensation 10 the owners were not dis
J closed.
While various federal agencies
| were preparing to carry out the gov
ernments program, Fuel Admins
| traitor Garfield re-affirmed in even
more emphatic terms his position that
| "profiteering on the part Of either
| labor or capital will not be tolerated! S.
A number of operators and unioa
officials remained in Washington tos
| day, but all expected to leave for
their homes tonight. John L. Lewis, 1
acting president of the United Mine
| Workers of America, was closeted
large part Of Friday morning with
| Secretary Wilson, but refused to
| discuss what had TRANSFERRED. He
also arranged an interview with
| President Gompers, of the American
| Federation of Labor. for later In
| the day.
After Mr.. Lewis conference with
Mr.. Gompers the American Fedora
| ton of Labor chief said it had been
arranged for the attorneys Of the
miners union to come to Washington
to consult with federation counsel
regarding an appeal from Federal s
Judge Anderson's decision ordering
withdrawal Of the strike order.
Operators promised that If troops
were sent into the coal fieldss
| the strike would be broken quickly.
| Thousands of miners would return
| to their jobs If they were sure OF
| protection, operators claimed. Many
operators, preparing to leave here
for their homes, declared they
would make every attempt to run
| their mines.
Coal now is being mined at q rate
| Of about 40 per cent of normal, of
| fetal reports show. Most Of this
| tonnage is being produced by 10000
non-union miners who refused to
| strike Nov 1. The number of union
| miners who so far have returned to
| work in line with the strike resc1nd-
| ing order is characterized as negl1-s
| gible" by union officials.
| Government officials replied THAI
| troops are available in every locali- I
ty where they may be needed and
| can be called upon application to
the nearest military center through
! the state governor. Secretary Baker
! long ago issued orders to this effectl
! it was declared
Although ordinary reserve stocks |
of coal now are nearly exhausted.B
according to reports of the railroad
administra ton, fair sized stocks that |
were intended for export are avail I
able for domestic use. These reserve
stocks are on cars in Atlantic ports /
where they were halted by the rail-
road administration when the strike
began.
CHICAGO, Dec. Further streng-
ent regulations for conservation OF
| fuel supplies, made necessary by the
strike of bituminous coal miners were +
! in effect today over virtually the en-
| tire country between Ohio and the
Rock Mountains and from Canada (
| to the Gulf of Mexico.
| Regional fuel committees took con
| troll of coal stocks in many states
| nd non-essentlal industries continu-
| ed to close down because OF lack or
| fuel while the hours for operating
| SIOI6SJ IllCdIclS anu OIL-SC
| were curtailed.
! In Kansas City, Mo-. and Omaha
ard Lincoln, Neb, all schools were
! closed today, and officials of many
/ cities discussed the advisability Of
| closing the schools until the fuel
! shortage is relieved.
Outlook Doubtful
Reports today from the large btu
IF
| Ohio and Pennsylvania gave no as
surance that the union miners intend
| ed to accept the offer Of an increase
| of IA percent in wages made by the
| federal fuel administration. Neithe:'
| was there any Indication local set
| Elements would be effected between
miners and operators.
In West Virginia union officials
| asserted most of tie organized mines
| in district No. II, which includes
| the Kanawha fields, would be idle
| today. The operators, however.
claimed the output in the New River
| district would be increased during
| the week.
Governors of Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Missouri, and Tennessee, and
a representative of the governor Of
| Kansas whe met here yesterday III
response to call issued by Govrnor
Gardner, of Missouri, to discuss
| means for ending the threatened coal
famine recommended to the federal
government that a fuel admins ira
tor be appointed IN each state to-
have full charge of distribution OF
all coal available for his state I
also was recommended that all Goa
mined and in stock be distributed
equitably among the fSrty-eight
| states on the basis of their1aeeds de 4
veioped during the war regardless
! IF fha CT yybara f1jDad