The Washington herald., 1919-12-04
Lewis Is Named
With Others In
Courts Decree
Order for Arrest Comes
From the Department Of
Justice - Investigators
Active In Fields Since
Court Gave Injunction.
WILL AROUSE LABOR
SAY LEADERS HERE

The court action speaks for h-
sell This was the only comment
OF Attorney General Palmer last
night on the action of Judge An
derson. Of the Federal court AZ
indianapolis. in citing the officials
OF the United Mine Workers for
contempt of court.
Frank Morrison. secretary, =, ~.
american Federation OF I.abor h.a
thls to say when Informed or ,h.
proceedings against the unio, on
cials:
Labor View ApatketIe.
III VIII add fuel to the p-esor,
critical situation and will no, 10
heipful in bringing about a se:t,e-
ment"
] AT inc headquarters OF ;snc coal op-
e. ators here it was stated tha, tb.re
was nothing to say,
The general opinion here las, ,i,,.,
was that the court action indicated
the government. having sdopted .
poiicy OF enforcing production .,
: coal is going to employ ever. ,cSsI
method to make this policy erfeciivc
| The contempt proceedings doubtless
We're Instituted with the approval cr
The Department OF Justice. III no,
actually at the instance OF the de-
partment II Ss- unde-stood ,,cr,o
mat the court action was taken n,
@Vldenc" gathered by agents OF tb.
department.
! IL Is certain that Attorney General
Palmer was fully Informed of tb..
move and knew early in the day th.t
Judge Anderson would issue the Or
der during rhe day. In fact. he hsl
planned to issue a formal statement
on the matter al O'Clock. but aban-
doned this plan after press DISPATCHES
reporting the court action had been
called to his attention.
Before announcing that the de-
psltment would not issue a state
ment. Mr.. Palmer went to the White
House and conferred for half an hour
with the Pres ident's secretary. Jo-
seph p. Tumuliy. Mi. Palmer de-
clared there was no significance 10
his conference with the President
secretary. but there is little doubI
that they carefully went over the
legal proceedings and the coal situa-
tion generally. in order that Mr.
Tumulty may be in a position TO Ia
the whole matter before the Pres
ident il il should become necessary.
VIII PrecIpItatc CrisI..
8 II WAS general, expected here last
night that the citing of the nine union
officials for contempt will precipitate
an immediate crisis in the disturbed
irdustrial situation. The American
: Federation Of Labor will lose no time
in rallying its full support to the coal
miners. in which event a test ot
strength between labor and the gov
eminent may develop.
Coal production on yeste. day Was
! q per cent OF normal. according to
! government reports from the operat-
: ing fields. This Is n gain Of . per
cent as compared with the figures for
Monday, but still s per cent short OF
last weeks daily production which
! practically reached % per cent.
The improvement yesterday WAS
chiefly confined to the West Virginia
: fields. where more union miners re-
turned to work. II was stated that
/ the indications arc that Others will so
back TO the mines tomorrow. with a
further increase i'm production.
Pny fer Cont scIsed.
The Railroad Administration an
nounced yesterday that scheme had
been worked out in conjunction with
the Federal Reserve Board whereby
prompt payment will he made for coaI
diverted TO the railroads. Under this
arrangement local railroad agents
/ viii give to the operators a certificate
showing that the coal has been de-
livered. An operators note with this
d dAA0Nhto NAti bt accepted
by the banks as negotiable paper. un-
der the sanction Of the Federal Re-
serve Board.
Representative OF tho operators
stated last night that this plan viii
afford relief at a time. when many
companies are on the verge OF being
forced TO shut down for the lack of
funds.
Fuel OH Price UH
Reports reached the government
yesterday that On various parts OF
the country where Oil-burning facilI-'
ties have been Installed as a result
Of the coal shortage the price Of
fuel oil is advancing steadily. If
this practice is continued. IL way
CONTINUED on PAGE rHREE