Evening journal., 1919-10-30

WASHINGTON. oct. 3o-Ihe posi-
tion of the Government in the Inn
pending coal strike was announced
last night as follows:
There can be no doubt that the
Government has the power In the
public Interest under The law, to
deal with the projected strike OF the
bltumnous coal miners, without
infringing upon the recognized right
of men i'm any line of industry TO
work when they please ana quiI
work when they please. llie meg
ality OF this strike can and viii be
established without In any way I'M
pairing the general right TO strike
and the general right 10 strike Is
not in issue In any sense whatever
in the present situation.
This is true because the circum-
stances dlfferentiate this case from
the case OF any other strike mat
has ever taken place in the country.
10 does not follow that every strike
j. lawful merely because the right
10 strike Is recognized 10 exist.
Every ease must stand upon It's own
bottom and be governed by It's own
facts. Therefore when The Presi-
dent said I'm his statement last sat
urdav that "such a strike, in such
circumstances is not only unjusliil-
able, but unlawful" reference was
had only TO the conditions in the
impending situation.
The proposed strike was ordered
in o manner, for a purpose and win
a necessary effect, which taken To-
gether put it outside the pale Of The
law. After the war began the pro-
ducton of fuel was regarded as one
OF the subjects Of such peculiar
public importance as 10 justify
special statutory enactment. The
Fuel Administration was crealed TO
supervise the subject and matters
of wages as we'll as prices were con-
sidercd aud sanctioned by the Fuel
Administration. Afler The cessation
OF hOsliiiies the Fuel Administra-
lion suspended ceirain Of its orders,
but did not terminate them, and
they are subject TO reinstatement
at any time upon the Presidents
order and the statute under which
the orders were made Is still in full
force.
, With this situation existing. the
convention OF United Mine Workers
at Cleveland last September decided
TO annul all wage contracts on No
yember 1 and took the unprece-
dented steps OF deciding in advance
OF any opportunity for consultation
either with the Government or with
the coal operators, TO strike on No
Vember 4 unless satisfactory new ar
rangements should be made.
Without any expression from the
workers themselves, the organiza-
ton promulgated a demand for a 60
per cent increase I'm wages, a six
hour day and q five-day week. and
authorized a strike 10 be effective
November /. before The demands
were even presented 10 the opera
tors. The demand for a new wage
agreement covered only a part OF
the coal fields. but the strike order
was sent broadcast to workers in
other fields where operators had
been given no opportunity 10 even
consider demands for increased
wages or decreased hours. All this
has been done while the miners in
every field. through their right OF
collective bargaining had entered
into a solemn contract, with the
operators. fixing wages and hours
FOR a definite period which has not
vet expired. The operators upon
the insistence OF the President indi-
Gated their Willingness 10 negotiate
and arbityate providing the strike
is deferred. while the miners re-
iected the Presidents request for
arbitration as a means Of settlement
and refused 10 defer the strike.
some OF the wage contracts were
made with the sanction OF the Fed
eral Government operating through
The Fuel Administration. 10 run dur
ing the continuation OF the war or
until April (. 1920. Many Others.
however. run until a time still in
the future without regard for the
continuation OF The war.