New Britain herald., 1919-12-19
Attorney General Pal mer TeStifieS Walk out Was Illegal But Men Obeyed Order of United States
GRAND JURY PROBE
 TO BE CONTINUED
Tells of Fight in Effort to Get Strike Order Rescind-
 ed and Increase Coal Pro-
 duction.

Washington, D. c. Dec. 19-Termi- nation of the soft coal strike was not a settlement but a victory for the government, Attorney Palmer today told the senate subcommittee investi- gating the strike.
 The government has won it's fight" Y MT. Palmer said. '"Tncrc was no set tlenent, in actuality; the men and the union officers have com piled with our demands and returned to work
 Says Strike Was Illegal.
 Mir. PalmaF said department of justice actioh in the coal strike be- gan with the preparation of injunc- ton proceedings against officials of the miners union under the Lever Jaw. . We sought to prevent the strike,'' he said, by enjoi11ing the union of f5ceTs from carrying or the strike they had already ordered" You have never charged your mind that the strike was Q breach of Iaw2'' Senator Townsend, republican, Michigan, inquired Lg -'I never have" Mi, Palmer re- turned. '.Tzne injunction was issued and is still in effect" tSe aGded t4astsa the miners now were obeying inc order Of thc court. Did they always obey it?'' Scn- ato- Townsend asked
 ''rrile letter Of the court order was obeyed from the nrst.' was the reply, .'but in so far as getting mon actually :" back to work, ic was not so easy as we had expected"
 Probe to Bc onti,luct- ,.... 'You considered that the order was violated, did you not?" Senator Town send continued.
 s@I did, and we instituted further proceedings because we had evidence that the order was not being obeyed in good faith by some of the union officials The grand jury invcsti- gation, Mir Palmer said, was still going on involving the whole ques- ton.
 Mir Palmer explained the injunc- ton was intended to separate the strikers from their leaders and the union funds.
 Was there anything said to the de- fendant officers of the union which would mako them understand that no further prosecution would be cora rnenced against them? ?'' Senator Townsend inquired
 Not one word Mir. Palmer said.
 At the request Of Senator Town send, Mir. Palmer described the con- ditions leading up to court action. He told of efforts of Secretary Wilson to s mediate between the miners and op- orators.
 Quotes Dr. Garfield.
 After a deadlock ensued in Wash ington," he continued, "DT. Garfield was brought in and he told botl operators and miners that the pric. of coal could not be increased on' cent to pay wage increases, passing hi: finding on calculations which h' made that g wage increase of 14 De cent. could be given the men ant paid by the operators without iu Hreasing the present price of coal.
 This proposal, the miners re jected and all parties returned home I then settled down to go through th fight to tho end, resolved to see tn injunction order obeyed as best as >could in the hope that production o coal would be gradually resumed"
 MT. Palmer then told Of the con ference he had with John l.. Levi and William Green, presd dent ant secretary of the miners union ol December 6, which was arranged b
 
 of labor. At that time, the attorney genera said, citations charging criminal con tempt had then been issued agains Lewis, Green and other officials of tn union.
 Mir. Palmer said that when Levi and Green arrived from Indianapoli he told them the governments pos tion would be maintained and that n change in 1t would be permitted 1 Was Dr. Garield's plan consid cred ?" interrupted Senator Townsend Govt. Will Not Give in. "At the conference with thes < gentlemen" MT. Palmer said ''I ir formed them that if the men we1 \ back to work the presidents assur ance of 8 fair settlement would b carried out They pleaded for a 3 ! S per cent. advance in wages, but (Continued on Tenth Page)