The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-11
WE CAN'T FIGHT
tContinued from Page one,

Continued from Page One.l
and that good faith on the part of the
government requires it to see that such
resumption of negotiations is had at
once and concluded without delay
The general committee, composed of
international officers, district presi-
dents and members of the executive
boaed and scale committee, reached its
decision at 4;10 this morning, after
more than seventeen hours discussion,
and adjourned five minutes later to
reconvene at o'clock this afternoon,
Gentlemen, we will comply with,
the mandate of the court. We do il
under protest. We are Americans. We
cannot fight our government. This is
ALL"
Order Must Go Out Today.
This was the statement of John L.
Lewis, acting president of the mine
workers announcing the decision, and
other members of the conference, ap-
parently worn out by their long hours
Of discussion, declined to add to the
statement of their chief and soon dis
persed.
The general committee had been in
session since shortly after 10 o'clock
yesterday morning, taking only brief
recesses for lunch and dinner. The
proceedings were interrupted during
the afternoon session by the appear
ance of United States Marshall Mark
Storm and his deputies who SERVED
SO of the officials with copies of the
temporary injunction issued Saturday.
and returnable December 1st. The
writs in the restraining order were
made returnable November 20.
Debate Long and Heated.
During the day approaches to the
entrances of the conference hall were
carefully guarded by sergeant-at-
arms and during recesses a man re-
rd in hR IA htIt int T1a
later hours of the conference the
sergeant-at-arms disappeared. The
speeches at times were impassioned
and voices from the hall rose above
the hubbub of the hotel. in which the
conference vas held, but only a word
1t is understood all phases of the
question were argued and the effect
various actions might have on the
organization entered into the discus
sion, but, according to members, not
a vote was taken on any subject until
the action early today was decided
upon.
Shortly before the conference ad-
journed President Lewis and William
Green, secretary -trea asurer, held a
long conference in the parior of the
hotel and later Mr.. Lewis was seen
pacing up and down the floor with
head bowed as if in deep study. De-
velopments after this conference came
rapidly.
Will Reopen. Negotiations.
The recall of the strike order will
open the way immediately for a re-
sumption of the negotiations between
the miners and the operators, as the
operators have announced they would
be ready to consider a new w4ge
agreement at any time the strike order
was withdrawn. 1t is also understood
the question of arbitration entered
largely into the discussion in the final
stages of the meeting. but the miners
position on this subject was not an
nounced.
The question of just how many of
the coal diggers would obey the order
resembling the strike was problemati-
cal early today. In some districts it
was considered the resumption of work
would be general, while in others it
would be only partial and in some. 1t
was said, the return would be very
slow.
Most Momentous Labor Meeting.
The meeting was probably the most
momentous ever held by the miners
orga niZation, if not the most weighty
ever conducted by a labor organization
in this country, for, in the view of
labor leaders, it was to determine
whether an organization would be
forced by governmental pressure thru
the courts to discontinue a strike,
when apparently all the members of
-
which was being conducted without
any form Of violence or damage to
property.
Labor in general. as represented by
the executive committee of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor had offered
its unqualified support to the miners
in their strike, while obedience or dis
obedience of federal court order
hung in the balance, and this fact
gave mines representatives who favor
ed holding out an argument which
weighed heavily with some Of their
colleagues.
Stunned Un-American Taint.
On the other hand, the presidents
designation of the strike as unlawful
placed the coal workers in the posit on
of defying the government of he
United States if they refused to call
off the strike and, aside, from the con-
sequences attaching to disobedience of
! the federal court order. many we're
averse to considering anything which
could be construed as lack of Ameri-
| canism.
There was no limit on the debate in
! the conference and many of the dele
gates spoke at length and some more
than once on various subjects.