The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-10-30
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MINERS.


The officials of the United Mine Workers of Amer.
powess to rescnd the strike Order says the sec
rotary of that organization The general strike of the
btuminous coal miners has been called by these officials
in accordance with instructions given by the convention
which held in September at Cleveland They claim
that the order must stand unless authority given
by convention of the organization Then why not
call such convention at once? The conditions now are
not what they in September. The convention at
that time acted upon the assumption that the contract
with the operators with the sanction of the
had expired The President of the United States has de-
clared that the contract is still in force and that the
strike not only unjustifabe under the circumstances
but is Illegal He has solemny called upo nthe national
and local officers of the organization to cancel the order
for the strike and to take whatever steps may be
sary to prevent any soppage Of the work. The
ton in September ignored the public interest and limited
their view and their action to relations with The opera
tors But new convention would be compelled to con-
slider other interests than its 1t would be confront
ed with the fact that the strike at this time would be
violation OF its agreement made with the sanction and
participation OF the United States Government and that
such strike would mean not merely private contest
with the mining operators but conflict with the gov
eminent and the American people
Are the coal miners prepared engage in such con-
hiet? Are they willing to engage in what would be
virtual rebellion against the authority of the United
states Government? We do not believe that thew are
do not believe that they have any desire to enter into
struggle whose end would be certain and disastrous to
them, nor aside from that that they are so lacking in
patriotism that they would defy their own
ana set themselves in position of antagonsm to their
feoWcitizens They should be given an opportunity to
express themselves either directly by VOTE which would
be the better way, through another convention And
TINS should be done at 1t is certainly within the au
thorlty OF the officers of the United Mine Workers to do
ths and they do not do the miners themselves should
demand that it be DONE If it is not done then the miners
as well as their officials must bear the responsibility for
the consequences.
An act OF convention vote recalling the strike order
and agreeing to the fair and reasonable proposal of the
President to reopen negotiations to submit the whole
matter to arbitration if negotiations are not successful
and to keep the mines running until decision is reach
ed would place the miners before the country for
tar Judgment without prejudice, and would open the
way for sympathetic consideration of the uncertainties
and variations of supply and demand which affect the
community OF labor in the coal mines and constitute
eai grievance We are disposed to believe that the
miners have been misguided by their leaders that thew
ave been led to think that their demands were Just and
nat anyway they had the power to enforce them They
NOW now that their leaders wrong in assuming that
he contract had EXPIRED they know at least that such
the Judgment of the United States Government and
hey know that the head of the has declared
Without regards to the merits of their demands that the
impending strike is both unjustifable and illegal The
ueston before them now is do they stand with John L.
eWls, the president Of the United Mine Workers or
nth woodrow Wilson, the President of the limited 4
tates! 1t is solemn question and it is one that some
OW must be answered-St. Louis (Mo.) Globe Demo
rat. n