Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-30
MINERS PRESIDENT
BITTER |NATTACK
ON HEAD Of NATION
Declares His Action Is Climax
of Attempted "Usurpa-
ton of Power"

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, October so
A direct attack upon President Will
sons course in the coal strike situa-
ton as 1.-The climax of a long series
of attempted usurpations of executive
power" was made today by John l.
Lewis, acting president. and the ex-
ecutive board of the United Mine
Workers of America.
The attack came in a long telegram
to Secretary of Labor Wilson, reply
ing to message from him delivered
to the conference here yesterday of
some four score officials and leaders
of the union.
The kilograms constituted the first
exchange of views between the ad-
ministration and the union. While
the telegram from Secretary Wilson
reached here yesterday. the reply was
not completed until today, when it was
submitted to the executive board by
President Lewis,
1t was announced that the reply
was approved by unanimous vote.
Union headquarters refused ito give
out the Secretary's message. saying
that it's publication was something
AOl Tic cCuUcT 10 approve.
The reply indicated that the Secre-
tary offered to call a conference of
the miners and employers, which Of
Ter was accepted in the following
language:
ness to attend any joint conference
which may be arranged by you upon
fair basis and stand ready to re-
convene the international conven-
ton OF our organization whenever our
N <s<Nv mi toe taoe ~
orable proposition for presentation to
such convention"
Text Of Telegram.
The full telegram to Secretary Will
son follows: a.j4s
Your telegram twenty-ninth in
slant was read by me to assembled
conference members of our infefna--
tional executive board. scale commit
t4s eentfaf competitive field and
rtesidents sof our various districts
yesterday. On behalf of conference
am authorized to make you this re-
s".Scale committee representing Unit
ed Mine Workers convened with op-
orators of central competitive field
at Buffalo, September Is. and present
ed to operators the wage demands az
formulated by our International con-
fesentative of the views of our mem
bership.''
Operators declined to consider the
merits of our demands and refused to
negotiate on basis which would be
productive of any results. After one
week adjournment was taken to re-
convene in Philadelphia. October 8,
and joint session of three days was
held in that city. Miners representa-
tfyes made every effort to negotiate
agreement, but were met by uncom-
refusal of coal operators
to consider merits of our position.
Awaited Suggestions.
AT that time no strike. order was in
effect and none would. have been is
sued had there been any constructive
offered by the coal operators. Miners
left Philadelphia conference with
deepest reluctance and heavy hearts
Later on, when we were called into
conference by yourself at Washing
ton, day by day we reiterated we
were anxious and willing to go into
joint negotiations without reserya-
tins. having in mind only interests
OF our people. for purpose of negotiating
wage agreement which would avert
strike in bituminous industry.
Our position remains the same to-
day. We shall hold ourselves in
readiness to attend any joint confer
ence which may be arranged by you
upon fair basis and stand ready to
reconvene international convention of
our organization whenever our scale
committee has received an honorable
proposition for presentation to such
convention.
Arraigns President and Cabinet.
Permit me to say to you, sir. the
unprecedented and unwarranted action
of cabinet and President of the
United States in issuing statement of
Saturday last has done more to pre-
vent satisfactory settlement of i'm
pending strike and working out of
wage agreement than any other ele-
ment which has entered into situa-
ton"
Called Partisan Document.
1.-THE Presidents statement is a
fiercely partisan document because
it attacks the intention of the mine
workers without even suggesting
that mine operators may have brought
about this unhappy situation, and
further because threat is made TO ex
ercise full force of government r.
prevent stoppage of work without
any corresponding threat to exert fs ~
force of government to enforce fair
at is indeed sad commentar, ~,
upon principles of square deaiing
when the President of United States and
his cabinet by unanimous vote aIiv
themselves with sinister financial ny
terests which seek to DENY iustics 70
labor and precipitate our countrv into
Industrial turmoil. The PreSidant
states: The mine wokers' proiacted
strike is not only unjustifiahIe hut
unlawful He states further TT &c
wrong both morally and Iepa,,r. In
other words. the President saws II is
a crime for the miners to STRIFE and
threatens punishment for the crime ~
May I point out to you thai Under
laws of the United States. bevond anv
presidential amendment or ahrogI.
ton, it is not a crime to strike. ~ csn-
not be made crime 10 STRIFE and
that an individual. Cannot he nmn;shed
for striking as for the commission of
crime. -
Constitution Is Supreme.
1.-The President Of the United States
is the servant and not the raster of
the Constitution. The Constitution is
the supreme law of the land. In the
Interpretation and application Of the
Constitution the decisions If the SUI
prsme Court arefnal authority.