Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1919-12-11
Coal Shortage Becoming Acute
and People Demand That
the Strike Be Ended.
Middle west IN DISTRESS
Miners Officials Cited for Contempt Of
Ccurt-DipIomati Relations With
Mexico Likely tc Be Severed
Soon - Supreme Council
Calls German Bluff.
BY EDWARD w. PICkARD.

"Give us coal. and quickly" was the
imperative demand of a great part Of
the American public last week. So
serious had the fuel situation become
that 1t seemed settlement of the dis
pute between the operators and min
ers must be forced by dire necessity.
In the northwestern and middle West
states the condition was aggravated
by a severe cold wave and the people
Of that part Of the country especially,
actually became alarmed by the pros
pect Of freezing to death Plans for
ending the strike at least temporarily
were as numerous as the planners
but almost the only steps really TAX
en- were for the conservation of the
existing supplies of fuel. 1t is true
that In some Of the western states the
operation Of the mines was taken over
by the state government and volun-
teer miners were put at work under
protection Of the state troops. This
was most commendable in principle,
but naturally the concrete results In
the way of coal to burn were not ex-
tensive. Chicago, and Illinois general
~, felt the pinch more acutely than
most regions, and prominent men
gathered and devised regulations to
curtail the use Of coal. The state
public utilities issued these regula-
lions formally, and Governor Lowden
proclaimed them, and also planned to
osH fodnroJ tn didn't
the same rules for the entire country.
They cut the working day Of stores
and factories to six and half hours,
and materially reduced the heating
and lighting service everywhere. AL
ready the regional coal committee had
Sential Industries. These rules prom
Used, within a very short time, to
throw out Of employment many thou
sands Of men and women.
New York city was not suffering
from the soft coal strike, because the
but it was worried by rumors that the
hard coal miners also might strike
soon. In general the Atlantic coast
states had enough fuel, and Director
General Hines was shipping hundreds
of carloads from there to the dis
tressed middle West.
The federal government got into
action again by filing In the district
court at Indianapolis, information
charging criminal contempt of court
against 81 international and district
leaders, who include Acting President
Lewis and Secretary Green, were sum-
noned to appear in court Tuesday and
answer the charges. OF course such
proceedings may result in the punish
ment Of the accused men, but will
sumner? That is what the latter is In
terested in just now, and that only.
4 He is thoroughly disguised with the
whole wrangle and is no more in SYM
pathy with greedy operators than with
j greedy miners. In his view. both sides
are criminally inconsiderate OF the
public needs, and he demands that
they be forced into compromise. The
suffering and financial loss to the peo-
Hple already have been immense and
Ieannot now be checked entirely even
AH coal mining is resumed at once. But
ishs people do insist that they be kept
warm from now on.
IT the week hope