Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1919-11-05
Hope For Early Settlement
Of Difficulties Is Aban-
doned-Mines to Remain
Closed -Four Weeks Is
Union Estimate
Republican A. p. Leased Wirel


quarters that the end of the coal strike
was near, spokesmen here for miners
and operators declared tonight the
country was i'll for protracted indus
trial struggle in the bituminous fields.
/ Labor leaders, a bit more specific
/ than operators. estimated that all
union mines would remain closed at
/ least four weeks. Other estimates cut
! that time in half, but officials. al
| though without word of direct efforts
! to bring the two sides together, still
/ held firmly to the view that the strike
would not run that long.
There were no confidential reports
| to the department of justice from its
agents in the fields and reports 20
| Washington headquarters of the opera
tors merely announced that overnight
conditions were unchanged.
To Fix Anthracite Prices
Returning here from a trip to the
west, Fuel Administrator Garfield took
active control of the situation and
made ready to fix a maximum price
on anthracite at the first evidence of
attempts to advance the selling price.
Dr. Garfield took part in number
4 of conferences during the day but it
was stated officially that he had not
discussed settlement of the strike with
the operators. ]. d. Morrow, vice pres
ident and executive secretary OF the
National Coal association. and for
mer member of the fuel administration
staff, was among those who saw DIR.
Garfield. The meeting caused wide
spread reports that DR.. Garfield had
been delegatet' to act as mediator
Several other members of the fuel
administration staff besides Mr.. Nor
row saw DR.. Garfield.
Attorney General Palmer, in a let
ter today to shipbuilders' council,
which protested against injunction pro-
ceedings, sounded a new note of hope
by declaring his belief that if the fed
eral court at Indianapolis Saturday
held the strike illegal the miners. as
law abiding citizens will discontinue
it," This letter was made public -af-
ter the attorney generals office had
denied a report that the injunction suit
would be Withdrawn.
Had Only Two Avenues
In his reply to the Delaware ship
builders council at Philadelphia, Mr.
Palmer said the fuel control law was
still in force. Touching on his method
: ''There were only two ways open tc
me to enforce the law, one by crimina
and the other by civil process.
} might have instituted criminal prose.
: cutions against hundreds of American
] citizens, but preferred to believe tha-
in ordering this strike they were no
, conscious of the fact that they wer,
violating the criminal laws of ou
; country and that it would be bette
9 to have the question adjudicated b,
the courts in a civil proceeding
4 assume that the miners are law-abid
ing citizens and that they do not in
tend nor desire to disobey the laws o
: the United States. You win, of course
agree with me that the laws of tn
land must be obeyed and that Their
j sno organization, great or small. il
the United States which is superior t,
d the law of the land.
n "The issue will be submitted to tn
court at Indianapolis next Saturda
! and if the court adjudges that tn
: strike is Illegal, | apprehend that III
= miners, as law abiding citizens, wi
= discontinue it,"
Officers of the Cancellation depart
ment of the department of labor sal
!, no offers had been received from eithe
y side to attempt settlement of tn
|, strike through mediation.
Government officials have found tn
task of dealing with all sorts of ru
mors a little more difficult than the
Il had thought because of the larg
d number cropping up from all side,
Some of the reports today concerne
q freight embargoes, which have nc
q been imposed. The railroad admins
tration denied that 40 per cent of tn
a railroad employees were idle becaus
l. of the strike. This report, official
,r said, grew out of the fact that 40 DC
: cent of the country's freight traffic
1t coal and that traffic has fallen o
: considerably.
= May Reduce Train Service
No attempt was made to conce;
the fact, however, thai train serviC
may be reduced unless the strike
brought to a speedy close. Just no
the big job is to keep coal moving an
to prevent congestion. The question
curtailment of service will be decide
by regional directors.
J, Vice President Morrow of the Ns
b tionsl Coal association, whose men
bership produces about two thirds
the eountry's soft coal output. toe
exception today to a protest again
interference with coal prices sent
the attorney general by W. A. MAJ
shall, president Of the Wholesale TraC
association of New York In lett,
to Mr.. Palmer, Mr.. Morrow said
"On behalf Of the National Coal a.
sociation | wish to advise you that NJ
Marshall is not authorized to speak (,
the bituminous coal producers of Il
United States To the best of ,r
knowledge the bituminous coal opers
tors are not in sympathy with Il
statements in Mr.. MarshalPs lette
but are entirely willing and ready
conform fully to any program of Il
government which is deemed nece
sary to protect the public in the pre-,