The Raymer enterprise., 1919-10-30
LEWIS CALLS MEETING 70 CON.
FER ON PosTPoNEMENT
OF STRIKE.
DRY Law IS VETOED
HOUSE IMMEDIATELY REpAssES
IT BY A VOTE OF i7s
TO IS.
Western Newspaper Union New. Service.

Springfield, ILL.,, Oct. 21.-Confronted
BY the demand of President Wilson
that thes trike call, which would stOI
production Of soft coal In the United
States be rescInded, John l.. Lewis
acting president OF the United Mine
Workers OF America, tonight by tele
graph invited twenty-five district pres
idents Of coal producing suites and
members Of the miners scale commit.
tee to meet with the internatIona ex.
ecutIve board to confront the strike Is
sue.
The action Of Mr.. Lewis, he stated
was prompted by desire 10 move
with full elaboration in a situation
the seriousness OF which cannot be
galnsiid.
Thirty-two members constitute the
full scale committee OF the central
competitive field, which comprises the
states OF Indiana. Ohio, Illinois and
western Pennsylvania.
District presidents and members OF
the wage scale committee are being
called in,' President Lewis said, to
counsel with the executive board by
reason of the Presidents statement
What final action will be taken | can.
not promise to forecast"
MIR. Lewis said the strike order was
In effect and would be operative at
midnight Friday unless something
happened meanwhile 10 alter tile sit
uation.
The executive board would have a,l-
thority, he stated, to postpone or sus-
pend the strike order, subject to the
will OF the membership of the union
He declared, however. that the 800.
600 miners In the bitumnOus field
would walk out to man unless the
operators made concessions.
"The statement Of President Wilson
opposing the strike has thus far had
no results 30 far as we are concerned,
Lewis said. No word reached him, he
stated. from government sources dur.
Ing the day.
Lewis brands statements that coal
miners were earning $40 to SO a day
as absurd" He said the average pay
OF miners In the bituminous field for
the year 1918, which he declared was
the best twelve months In mine work.
ers' annals, was $l,22S year.
He declined to make statement as
to what the maximum earnings Of u
miner under favorable circumstances
might be, but said the earnings OF
"day men, amounted to between SAB
and s. day. These include track
layers, drivers. mechanics and labor
ers.
Coal diggers, he admitted, can make
more money than that. He explained,
however. that wages of miners were
curtailed by the fact that mines OPP
crate on the average only three OF
four days a week.
This condition, he said. made neces-
sary shorter day and week In order
to furnish continuous employment, as
embraced In wage demands suggested
by miners early In the conferences.
Other demands include Cd per cent In
crease In wages, time and half for
overtime and elimination Of the strike
penalty clause.
Washington. Oct. 27.-President WI.
son Unexpectedly vetoed the prohibi-
ton enforcement bill today. and with
In three hours the House had repassed
1t over his veto by Il vote Of 178 to IS.
The total vote was barely more than n
majority Of the entire membership.
The four Colorado congressman voted
to override the veto. Dry leaders In
the Senate Immediately began laying
plans to repass the blu there. They ex-
pect to ask unanimous consent for its
consideration tomorrow. claiming
enough votes to put II through. They
expect TO net on 1t by Wednesday at
the latest.
II would not be difficult. the Presi-
dent held. for Congress to deal sepa-
rately with the two issues.
The veto hit Congress like crack
Of lightning. The House. getting on
its feet again, deserted Its leaders,
who wanted TO defer consideration
until Thursday so as to round up all
the dry members. But the drys swept
into the chamber and showed there
was an overwhelming sentiment among
them to give the government ample
weapons for dealing with the liquor
traffic. now outlawed throughout the
land