The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-10-30
Miners ROAST
Governor HART
Say His Letter on Strike
Shows ignorance

coal miners OF Washington from
Gov. Louis II. Hart. In which tho ex
ecutiye warns them that the miners
win not he able To freeze the govern
ment into submission" and that the
state will protect itself againrt the
proposed coal strike. Robert III. Har
lin. president of district No. 10. has
addressed letter. Ia which no de
fines the issue between the opcrat.
orr and tho mine workers. and an
nounoes that tho Washington men
win 60 out on strike with tho unitee
Mine Workers OF America unless tbs
national demands are met by Novem-
her /.
In hts letter. Ifsrtin declares the
relationship between the workers
and operators has been most agree
able. and that no grievances are In
volvcd in the pending dispute other
than tho fundamental point At issue
"A raise In wages which have been
stationary for tho past two years.
Harhn declares tho argument II
hinged on tho pre-,sar agreement be
tween the local operator and workers
when IL was agreed that tho scale OF
prices and rules and conditions OF Ia
Dor should continue only for tho du
ration OF the war. or at tho very
latest up until August 81. 1913. The
agreement provided that the con
tracing parties meet ak weeks be-
fore the expiration OF tho agreement
and formulate another one.
Tho operators Of the state 81
Washington informed tho under
signed representatives Of tho United
Mlns WORKERS At q meeting held In
tho city Of Seattle yesterday rrues
dayl." wrote ffArlln. "that they did
not r~coEnisc our right 10 terminate
the existing agreement. This Ia the is
sue between miners and operators
and IL embraces the coal operators OF
tho state - Washington In tho same
degree as the coal operators OF the
rest OF the country. Wa informed the
Washington Coal Operators asxocia
ton at our meeting yesterday that
unless wc received counter inxsruc.
tons from our international oryanl.
xafions tn the interim strike Of ali
coal miners In the state OF Washing
ton would take place beginning Sat,
urday. November I. 1919"
In the meantime the operators ar.
making preparations TO protect their
mines ard holdings. II has been
agreed that engineers and the like
viii not suspend work. but will re
main and do such work an II neces
sary TO protect the mines.
Hariin. continuing In his letter.
went into detail concerning the pro
war agreement:
Il Was War Contrast
'-rfns agreement entered into DO
TWEEN miners and operators was n
wartime agreement It's purpose wne
10 insure continued production Of a
vital commodity during the period
W h n our nation was at war. IL
served It's purpos. wen. an tho rec
ords VIII show. for. notwithstanding
the fact that approximately 10000
mine workers left their homes 10
serve In tho armed forces az the gov.
ernmenf, those who were left TO pro.
duce tho coal 70 necessary TO cur
nation In the trying months OF 1917
and 1918 performed their duties no
we'll that all records for coal produc.
ton were broken. and tho coal min.
ing industry boasts q wartime rec
ord OF unhampered production tina,
bespeaks more eiocucntiy than can
be- expressed In mere words the 10y
atty of tho mine workers to our ma.
ton during times of stress: and their
good faith in keeping invioiate their
wartime pledge.
The European war ended on No
vcmber IL. 1918. and with II ended
the emergency that brought into be-
Ing the Washington wage agreement
Tho miners have continued 10 work
under tho terms OF. that agreement
during the period OF Industrial dis
location following tho termination Of
hosti!ities down to this date without
seeking TO officially end their war.
time compact. and In view Of the fact
that living costs have been steadily
increasing since October. 1917. and
the earning power OF the miners
wages decreasing an a consequence
In ilke ratio. we feel that commend.
able patience has been exercised by
the miners union and any charge Of
Disregard OF public veal made against
US at this time by responsible off.
GERS OF our state and national govern.
ment comes with bad grace indeed.
and shows a depiorable lack OF con.
sideration OF the facts in the case.
Blame Operators
""rhc attitude OF tho coal operators
renders II unnecessary on our part
to make any detailed defense Of our
demands. The coal operators contend
that the Washington wartime agree.
ment has not terminated. and II IL
because Of their unyieiding attitude
| in this respect that the nation IL
threatened with the impending coal
| strike.
THE operators OF tho state OF
| Washington informed the undcrsign
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