Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-08
An Indcfcnsible Strike

n RGANlIED labor in this country has
- never ordered more unjustifable strike
than that of the btuminous coal miners, and
because it is indefensible and devoid of every
element that might appeal TO public opinion,
it must inevitably fail just as the futile steel
strike has failed, the poiceman's strike in
Boston and many others of the same insane
character
Throughout the whole of the long struggle
between the coal operators and their en-
ployces, the miners have assumed an arbi-
trary and unyieldng attitude. They began
their fight in behalf Of utterly inordinate
demands by violating solemn contract not
with the private owners OF the Mines but
with the government of the United States
They made Il scrap of paper" Of their agree
ment to remain at work under the present
wage scale until the war should end, or until
April l, 1920.
They went into conference with the opera
tors insisting that their program should DO
accepted without modification to the extent
or a line or word. When the operators
refused TO saddle upon the country n billion
dollar coal tax that their men might work
SIN hours day five days week and re.
ceive GO per cent raise in pay the miners
summarily withdrew and ordered strike.
They did not submit the question to a vote
OF the men, but boldly ordered the mine
workers TO walk out at fixed hour a
fixed day.
The Secretary Of Labor spent three fruit
less days trying to mediate the differences
between the men and their employers. The
operators agreed to negotiate again and gain
provided the strike order should be recalled,
but that order stood. No pressure from the
secretary could influence the miners to
abandon, even temporarily, their deterpina-
ton to strike unless their demands in toto
were accepted. Finally the secretary pro-
posed arbitration and backed it up with
fervent appeal from the President himself
mat the issues be arbitrated. The operators
agreed but the miners refused fatty to go
before an arbitration board no matter how
fair or honorable it might be.
Mediation failing the miners left Wash
ington and boldly defed the President and
all the powers OF the Federal government
by voting once more to strike They chal-
lehged the sovereignty Of the government de-
clarlng that the supreme authority had
decreed that the nation should be frozen
into surrender. this supreme authority being
group of leaders Of the United Mine
Workers Of America.
The country may suffer serious losses be-
cause of this paralysis of the soft-coal mines.
tut it will not allow itself to be coerced by
any body of organized sand-baggers Other
bodies OF labor finding themselves out Of
work because Of fuel famine will resent
the insanity OF the miners rs much as will
other citizens, and before the strike is much
older, ii it lasts that long, the mine workers
VIII lind great nation arrayed solidlv
against them
NO strike totally bereft Of public sympa-
my ever succeeded and this strike is fated
10 IAN hrst because it is nothing more or
less than criminal conspiracy TO shake
down the American people. and. next he
cause its victims have both the strength and
the determination 10 defeat il