Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-29
STRIKE ORDER
STANDS In DEFY
[Continued from First Page.1

CONTINUED from First Page
threatened strike on the verge of
winter.
Discontinuance of the production
of coal would more effectually tie up
the industries of the country than
would a strike of any other body of
workers and in addition such action
would cause untold suffering among
millions of the country's inhabitants.
Despite the efforts of the railroads
to furnish extra cars to the mines
for transportation of what fuel is on
hand at the source, it will be impos-
sible to provide an adequate supply
for even Il short period.
Country Would BE Hard Hit
The big industries of the country
would be hard hit by the stoppage
of their coal supplies, and domestic
consumers in every city and many
rural communities would soon feel
the effects of the tie up. In the
larger cities few of the big hotels
and flat buildings have facilities for
storing winters supply of fuel and
dealers with whom they have con-
tracts would be unable to supply
their demands, or they in turn de-
pend upon continuous shipments
from the mines.
Railroads also would be seriously
affected by the strike, for in most
cases the supplies of locomotive fuel
would be early exhausted. This
would mean annulment OF trains,
and consequent shortages of many
necessities.
Right up to the hour of the con-
ference this morning, miners Of
ficials reiterated that they were will
ing to negotiate with the operators,
but said that the latter had shown
no inclination to discuss the de-
mands.
Possibility of Government oper-
alton of the mines has been ad-
vanced by some of the delegates who
apparently were receptive to the
idea. On the other hand high Of
ficials of the organization secuted the
idea of Government control, adding
that they could not see what power
could be exerted to make men work
when they did not want to work.
Mr.. Lewis said that the National
Executives idea that the need for
wartime prohibition had passed be-
cause the emergency had ended, eX-
pressed exactly the unions attitude
toward it's wartime wage contract.
There is no further use for war
time prohibition, according to the
President" said Mr.. Lewis. Neither
| IS there further use for the war
! time Washington wage agreement
We, therefore, resent the imputation
! that the strike is illegal"
The suggestion that work be con-
| tinued pending appointment and re-
| port of an investigating tribunal was
denominated by Mr.. Lewis a meas
ure of delay.
THAT would mean months OF
waiting while men ignorant of min
ing problems studied and tried to
solve them," he said. Meanwhile
| the miners would be working under
the present intolerable conditions"
Advantage to Operators
Other officials of the union agreed
| heartily with this view. In addition
some of them pointed out that the
| operators would take advantage OF
| the delay to work the mines to ca
| pacity, piling up reserve stocks and
| placing the union at a big disad.
vantage should the tribunals efforts
| come to naught.
7 Direct negotiation with the mine
owners. however, would be well
coined by the union. President
Lewis, Secretary Green and such
| members of the executive board as
had reached here last night were
unanimous in declaring that they
stood ready "as before, to negotiate
a wage scale without reservations
They emphasized the last two words
and charged that the employers
would not negotiate except on con.
ditions which the union men were
powerless to fulfill.