Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-10
LEVER ACT NOT
INTENDED FORWORKERS
[Continued from First Pagc.l

AlV EIVDEO FON WONMEANO
IContinued from First Page.]
precipitated the coal strike, declar-
ing almost in the first sentence that
the Officers of the United Mine
Workers did everything in their pow
er to avert this great industrial
struggle" 1t reserved its bitterest
words for later comment on govern
mental action.
There. were 1900 delegates, repre-
senting 100000 miners, seated in the
convention which called the strike,
the statement said, after briefly
sketching complaints of working
conditions in the industry which 1t is
asserted the miners seek to remedy
by striking. The instructions of the
convention were taken through the
usual committees into conference
with the operators, and then, the
statement puts it, our government
interjected itself, and applied for an
injunction"
The statement characterized the
action as "invasion of the rights of
miners" intended to starve the min
ers into submission by cutting off
their st trike benefits, and demanded
the WllHuTuWdl VI iile lHJuhSltoh &C
cured Saturday at Indianapolis ito
restore confidence in the Institutions
of our country and respect to
courts"
by all the facts in the case the
miners strike is justified it con-
cluded.e 1--WE indorse it. We are
convinced of the justice of the min
ers' cause. We pledge to the min
ers the full support of the American
Federation of Labor and appeal to
the workers and citizenship of our
country to give like Endorsement and
aid to the men engaged in this mo-
ment Gus struggle"
Many Days of Idleness
The statement of the executive
council which members refused to
interpret or discuss in any manner
and which is addressed to Our fell
low citizens and TO our fellow work
ers." follows:
The executive council is of the
opinion that the officers of the
United Mine Workers of America did
everything in their power to avert
this great industrial controversy. OF
all the great Industries ip our coun-
try, there IS none so dangerous of
human life as the coal industry. The
men who SO down under the ground
to dig coal, so that the domestic and
industrial needs of the nation may
be supplied. are engaged in work
more hazardous, than any other en-
ployment. Due consideration has
never been given to the danger sur
rounding the coal miners. There
is no other class of employment
where each individual worker is so
isolated and in whose districts there
icy I, laa nf t-ft to ~
social intercourse and enjoyment.
The condition of the miner and his
family is such that he is practically
deprived not only of sunshine and
fresh air but to certain extent he
is deprived of the association and
panionship of all other human
beings outside of his own particular
class who are themselves engaged in
the dangerous and unhealthy occu-
patton of coal mining. The miners
suffer more than any other work
ers from periods of compulsory un-
employment. Authentic statistics
show that the miners have less than
zoo days of employment during each
year. The wages of the miners con-
sequently, having to spread over the
entire year are greatly reduced as a
result of the unemployment exist
lllS III lllitI liluuSlTy.
The high cost of living has pre-
sented itself in perhaps a more seri-
Gus form in isolated mining camps
than in large industrial centers
There is usually not the same oppor-
tunity for the miners in the mining
camps to make their purchases to
such advantage as is presented in
other localities. Their isolation pre-
vents this.
The United Mine Workers, in
their convention, held during the
month of September in the city of
Cleveland, adopted a positive dec
laration demanding improved con-
ditions of employment for the min
ers. They further instructed the
officers to proceed to obtain by nego-
tiations with the operators, the
working conditions that the conven-
ton unanimously adopted.
Officers Obeyed Orders
There were almost 2,200 dele
gates seated n the convention, rep
resenting 100000 organized miners.
They further positively and explicit
" instructed their officers that un-
less an agreement was reached on or
before the first day of November
1919. that the resolution of the con-
vention calling for a strike on No
vember /, 1919, should be commu-
nicated to the membership. There
was no alternative except for the
officers, who are elected by the mem
bership, to carry out the direct in
structions of the membership or re-
sign from their positions as Off
GERS, in which event chaos and con-
rusion would result.
The officers of the mine workers,
with their scale committee. entered
'nto conferences and discussions
With the operators in the city at
'utfalo. They stated at the con-
.ci ence that they had full power to
lcgotfate an agreement, in other
words, that they had the power to
i've and take in the conference. The
Employers refused to make any
)tfer whatever. Later on the min
rs answered the call of the Secre-
AIRY of Labor and further endeavor-
ed to reach an agreement, but fail
ed. The officers then proceeded to
AIRY out the instructions of their
mem bership and communicated the
results of the failure of negotiations,
nd by order of the convention the
trike automatically took effect No
;ember l, 1919.
The machinery which has ex-
sted for years and which has been
successful in bringing about agree
ments, between the miners and the
operators, still exists, and they as
representatives of the miners were