The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-11-06

where men may strike May the power
of my government never be used 70
throttle and crush the efforts OF the
toilers to improve their material well
fare and elevate the standard Of their
citizenship"
When asked to make a statement
upon the right of miners to strike on
November I in the face of the critical
conditions he said:
The coal operators have not offered
a single constructive suggestion de-
signed to avert this catastrophe. All
through the negotiations at Buffalo.
later at Philadelphia, and still later at
Washington, the miners waited IN vain
Tor any counter proposal to be sub
mitted By the operators.
During the conference with Secre-
tary Wilson at Washington. we said
many times that we were willing TO re-
enter negotiations with the coal oper-
ators without reservation TO conclude
the making OF an agreement forthwith.
The offer that we made was repeatedly
declined. The responsibility for the
stoppage of work in the bituminous
coal districts must necessarily lie with
the coal operators"
Four Governors Back Wilson.
Governors Of four states, three Re
publicans and one Democrat, have ex-
pressed their entire approval of the
stand taken by President Wilson in
regard to the threatened strike of soft
coal miners, as follows:
BY Gov. Frank o. Lowden.
Springfield, ILL.,, Oct. 29.-The stat
ment of the president makes the issue
plain. When a special interest con-
ficts with the interests of the people
as a whole the former must give way
The strike, no doubt, has been the
most powerful weapon in the hands
labor to. improve its condition So long
as the strike affected directly only the
employer the public could not object.
The threatened coal strike, however, is
a, strike against the American public.
In fact, it is likely that the public
will suffer more than the operators
themselves. Whenever any organiza-
ton, whether of capital or labor, be-
comes so powerful as to be able TO
give or to withhold from the public the
necessities of life, such organization
must come under the control of the
government. Otherwise the part be-
comes greater than the whole If the
only alternative to strike or lockout
by such an organization is the cOmpul
sorry arbitration Of differences between
employers and employees engaged in
such vital undertakings, compulsory
arbitration to that extent will have to
come. Those leaders of labor who
meet such suggestion with the threat
Of a general strike do not help the
cause of labor. A general strike would
mean, in effect, an effort to substitute
sOviets for the duly constituted au-
thOrity of the land. The people are
not yet ready to abandon their form of
government.
Illinois will cooperate with the
president to the extent of its power. to
the end that its people shall not suffer.
By Gov. w. L. Harding.
Des Moines, Ia, Oct. 28.-In refer
ence to the coal strike, LET me say that
the people of Iowa generally feel
strike at this time is i'll advised There
is also feeling that the public should
not be called upon to suffer on account
of the fight between the operators and
mine workers, and the feeling is also
strong that the federal or state gov
ernments, or both combined, should
prevent the strike by seeing TO it that
the operators keep the mines produc-
ing coal.
BY Gov. James Nj. Cox.
Columbus, O., Oct. PSI will say
that the president has expressed the
conscience of the nation.
BY Gov. Louis F. Hart
Tacoma, Wash. Oct. 28.-The people
of this state shall not freeze for lack
of fuel this winter.
In a statement the governor declared
the full power of the state government
would be evoked If necessary in sup
port of the stand of the federal gov
eminent against the strike of the soft
coal miners called for Nov. 1.