The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-12
WON'T LIFT BAN
ON NATION UNTIL
MINERS Get BUSY
Uncertainty in Coal Situation
Delays Federal Action.
No Room for Optimism Yet
Says Regional Director.
UNION CHIEFS ARE HOPEFUL
Head of Illinois Division De-
clares "AlI Back Monday"
Except i'm Two States Miners
Prepare for Work.


Prepare for Work.
Chicago, Dec 12.-with uncertainty
surrounding the acceptance of the coal
strike settlement in MANY fields there
viii be no immediate lifting of fuel re-
strictions, George w. Reed. North
western regional fuel director. de-
clared here today. Reports to his Of
! flee, Mr.. Reed said. do not give
grounds for much optimism yet'
"Aliho the coal strike is officially
over, the situation is still serious as
the miners are not returning to work
! in body" Reed added. The policy
of the fuel administration today in
view of the situation is the same as Il
was on the first day OF the strike"
Frank Harrington. president of the
Illinois miners is more hopeful, how
ever. He announced today that while
several locals of the u. NJ. w. A had
protested against the terms of the set
| tlement he expected practically all
miners to be back at work by Monday.
Considerable coal will be mined today,
he said.
Chicago. Dec. 12.-GeneraI in
crease in production of bltuminous
coal today was indicated by reports
from all coal fields. In some sections,
principally Illinois, however, some OF
| the workers were in rebellion against
terms of President Wilson's proposal,
acceptance of which halted the forty
day-0id strike. and in Montana Wash
| ington and Wyoming. the miners indi-
| Gated they desired a more thoro un-
| derstanding of the plans.
Other instances of deferred resuup-
| ton of production were expected in
the Pittsburgh district where union
leaders continued officially to notify
miners to return to work. and in West
| virginia where new trouble was en-
| countered because of the old question
! of the Check Off system, but the
| situation generally was regar rded with
optimism. There were many predic-
tIons OF return to a normal OUTPUT
| by the. first of next week
In addition to permission TO retail
stores to operate nine hours Saturday
no further immediate relaxation OF
the strict fuel conservation order was
was made because of the near ap-
proach OF the holiday season.
Prepare for Next Wave.
Except in the Pacific northwest,
| most of the country today was relieved
OF the severe weather that grasped it
for two days. Coupled with coal
shortage. almost unprecedented SHOWS
and unseasonably low temperature still
caused suffering and disruption of
train and wire service in Washington
Oregon, northern California, northern
Idaho and Montana. Another cold
wave was reported forming in the
northwest and moving eastward
Most sections would be fortified
against II by renewal of coal supplies.
1t was believed. however. In the great
central competitive field, where there
was little or no output yesterday, an
| overwhelming sentiment in favor of a
quick return to work was indicated
in reports and statements of union
lre 1<ro 4 -.
in Illinois, were expected to be oper-
ated today or at the latest by tomor-
row. Nearly normal production by
the end of the week was predicted for
by that time mines in Kentucky, Ten
nessee and Alabama generally would
be In operation.
In the southwest. Kansas was the
, only state where it seemed doubtful
when operations would begin. The
miners in Missouri. Oklahoma, Arkan-
| sas and Texas were reported ready to
| return to work today.
Kansas Miners Delaying.
The Kansas situation depended
upon the outcome of a conference at
Pittsburg today between the governor
and Alexander NJ. Howat president of
/ the Kansas miners concerning with
drawa1 of volunteer dIggers and
troops. 1t was understood an agree
! nnent was reached yesterday to with
draw the men complained of by the
miners as soon as the latter had re-
| entered the mines. In Illinois many
of the locals voted not to accept the
] terms of the strike settlement and
to remain away from the mines. F. 9.
| Honnold, secretary of the Coal Oper-
ators association. said that the only
place where he had been able to find
| that the miners had returned to work
| was at Wrinkle. where the workers
| had an interest in the mine.
On the other hand Frank Earring
ton, state president of the miners. ex-
pressed confidence that the men
would resume production and said
that the state organization would uss
every means to force recalcitrant To-
Gals to abide by the settlement He
and some of the operators also ex-
pressed belief that by the first Of next
week the output would be normal for
this time of the year. Some OF the
locals, notably that at Peoria, hinged
their future action on what miners
in the rest OF the state do.