Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-11-06

miners had iron clad instructions to
declare . strike on Nov. unless ALI
OF the demands were granted by the
| operators. 1t In equally true that tho
iron clad instructions which wore US
ed as a pretext for issuing the strike
order were not the work OF the dele
gates 10 the miners national conven-
! ton at Cleveland. They were the work
OF the very leaders who now seek TO
! Justify a strike by claiming they are
helpless on account OF the instructions
by which they are bound.
The instructions given by the min
ers' national convention 10 their
leaders Is the result OF rivalry between
two factions within the miners union,
the one faction supporting men who
are in office and the other support
ing men who want to get into the same
official positions at the head Of the
United Mine Workers Of America,
1T is not only unfortunate for the
miners but 1t Is almost a crime against
the country that such disastrous
calamity as n national strike In the
coal industry should be precipitsted by
rivalry among men who are, and
those who want to be, leaders of the
miners
Never In the history Of the joint
movement method of negotiating wage
agreements for the coal mining indus
try Of the Central Competitive Field
or for any other l-producing state
or district OF the country, have miners
leaders been given instructions by
miners conventions to insist upon all
their demands being granted or de-
clare a national strike.
Tt is this peculiar and unusual, II
not ridiculous position taken by the
miners leaders that has prevented
any possible chance to negotiate
wage agreement for the coal industry
Of the Central Competitive Field.
The operators. recognizing that the
principle Of collective bargaining and
negotiation of wage contract was ig-
nored by the miners leaders, took
the position that the present wage'
agreement does not expire until the
end of the war and that the war does
not end until the peace treaty is rati-
fled and officially announced. The
operators believed and so declared.
that the present wage agreement
should continue in effect until April
!. 1920. This the miners leaders will
not consider. regardless of the effect
the strike will have upon the country.
1t is believed by those in close
touch with the situation that the in
tsrnational president Of the United
Mine Workers would like 10 get out OF
the peculiar predicament in which he
has been placed, partly at his own
solicitation and largely by his enc
mics within the miners union. How
is the question to be answered?
The congress Of the United States
has the power, and the resolution is a
joint resolution by congress directing
the leaders Of the miners union 10 be
consistent and to be released from
their iron-clad instructions to declare
strike. in order that they might meet
representatives Of the operators TO ne
gottate q wage agreement in accord
ance with the principles Of collective
bargaining for which the United Mine
Workers have been sponsors for AMI
defenders Of for more than thirty
years.
IF congress does act it Is not likely
that the miners international officers
would ignore the highest legislative
body in the land. 1t would give the
international officers an opportunity
to back out Of a position which has
become ridiculous in the eyes Of the
people Of the United States"