The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-03
HUSKER YOUTHS
MAY AID STATE
IN MINING COAL
Gov. McKeIvie Offers 500 Uni
versity Volunteers to Allen.
Asks Coal for Nebraska When
Kansas Demands Met.
UNION MEN TO STATE PITS
Federation Organizer Also Of
ferS His Services.
Coal, Wood and Money Ten
dered to Relieve Suffering.

Gov. Samuel R. McKe1vie, of Ne
braska, offered the services of 500
students in Nebraska university in
support of the Kansas coal production
campaign The offer was made in
telegram to Governor Allen. Governor
McKelvie asked only that protection
be afforded the Nebraska men-with
assurances of coal for Nebraska as
soon as the Kansas demand is met.
Students in Nebraska university
have already enrolled for service.
They will come to Kansas at any time
they can be used in the mines. The
text of Governor McKeIvie's offer was
communicated to Governor Allen to-
day over the long distance telephone
from Topeka. In view of the fact
that 5000 Kansans are now on the
waiting list and anxious to go to the
mines, there is little probability that
the Nebraskans will be called immedi-
ately.
Clyde NJ. Reed, private secretary to
Governor Allen, intimated that later
this state may accept the offer of
workers from Nebraska He would
make no definite statement, tho, un-
| til the matter had been carefully con-
sidered by the governor and the state
receivers.
Labor Conditions Brighter.
were brighter today than at any time
| since the state took over the proper
| ties. While there is a long list of
| volunteers, the demand for trained
| men has been acute and in a large
! degree has held back the opening of
/ new pits.
! This afternoon eleven members of
the Mine Workers Union of America
left for the coal fields to help the state
The men came to Topeka from an
other state and will enter the fields
under assumed names. Each man left
his union card with John H Craw-
ford state labor commissioner.
| Hunger and distress at home have
/ driven the men back to work. They
are anxious to produce coal for the
state, they told Crawford, altho they
refused to work for independent oper-
ators The men went out November
1 under the general strike order. No
benefits have come to them since the
strike began and their families are in
need of food and supplies. Each man
assured Crawford he would work in
the Pittsburg field all winter if neces-
sary.
/ Labor Organizer Volunteers.
]. r. Rosa Mccormick, former
\ chief engineer of the Santa Fe mine
department, also offered his services
to the state in a wire to Governor AL
len from Philadelphia. Mccormick is
labor organizer. He resigned as a
Santa Fe employe several years ago
to build a system of sewers in Wichita
! ''Altho an organizer of unions, I do
not favor this action now" Mccormick
wired in expression of his position on
the strike IF you need my assistance
to help you, call upon me-
Mccormick may be asked to take
charge of portions of the operation in
the Pittsburg field.
| J. H. Lee conferred today with Sec
retary Reed and left Topeka to attend
a second conference of Usage county
miners and operators. Three of the
larger mines in the field are now in
operation and prospects are bright for
/ a general re-opening of the field
/ Usage county. There is a strong feel
1 ing that in view of the present crisis
practically all of the men will go to
the mines.
Cut Timber for Fuel.
Scores of kilograms and letters came
to the governors office today regard
ing the fuel situation. Many commun-
tiles are turing to timber lands and
wood piles as emergency relief -,
the fuel shortage. One offer of wood
today was from Representative ]. NJ.
Watkins of Cherryvale. who offered
the timber on a 120-acre Montgomery
county farm. ARRANGEMENTS we're
made during the day for the novel
ment of 600 cords of wood near Pleas
anton. 1t will be sent to Kansas City,
Kan.
Twenty-Five cars of coal from pits
IN Linn county are said to be ready
for loading. The coal may be turned
over to the state and the Kansas re-
ceivership is expected to direct tistri-
button of the supply.
II The first cash contribution for car
rying on the states fuel fight came in
letter from James P. Howard of St