The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-11-12
MINERS BACKED :
BY FEDERATION
Gompers' Organization Pledges
Support to the Striking
Coal Miners
GOVERNMENT DENOUNC-
ED AS AUTOCRATIC


Injunction Against Strike By
Coal Miners is Bitterly AS
sailed
Washington, Nov. 9.--Holdins the
action of the government in injunc-
ton proceedings against striking bl-
luminous coal miners to be so auto
cratic as to stagger the human mind.
the executive council of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor declared to-
night in statement issued after
four hour meeting that the miners
walkout was justified, promised for
the strike the etnire support of organ
lied labor and asked aid and endorse
ment for it from the general public.
The Lever act, under which the
government acted IN the court pro-
ceedings, never was enacted to apply
to workers, the council asserted, and
it's use against the miners was classed
i as tan injustice not only to workers.
but to ali liberty loving Americans"
The action was taken without any par
ticipation of William Green, general
secretary Of the mine workers, who
! is a member, but all the remaining
principal officers Of the American
Federation of Labor were present.
The council began k:s sessions at
~t17@ @o1r lanrc he n
ibeen hastily summoned together and
the statement which formulated its
action was carefully revised and re-
written by Samuel Gompers and
Frank Morrison, president and secre-
tary, respectively of the federation.
The council in it's statement pre-
!sented at length the history of the
negotiations which led up to and pre-
Icipitated the strike, declaring almost
in the first sentence that the Officers
lof the United Mine Workers did ev-
!erything in their power to avert this
great industrial struggle" It re-
served its bitterest words for later
comment on governmental action
thereafter.
There were 2,2O0 delegates, repre-
Isenting 100000 miners, seated in the
Iconvention which called the strike.
the statement said, after briefly
sketching in complaints cf working
conditions in the industry, which it is
iasserted, the miners seek to remedy
by striking. The instructions of the
convention We're taken through the
usual committees into conference
with the operators and then she
statement puts it, "our government in
terjected itself and applied for an
injunction
The statement characterized the
action as invasion of the rights Of
miners" intended to starve the min
ers into submission by cutting off
their benefits. and demanded the with
drawal of the injunction secured Sat
Jurday at Indianapolis Ito restore con-
! ifidence in the institutions OF our
country and respect to courts"
BY all the facts in the case the
/ miners strike is justified it con-
cluded. I'VE indorse it. We are con
WINGED of the justice of the miners
cause. We pledge TO the miners the
full support of the American Fedcr-
alton of Labor and appeal to the
workers and citizenship Of our
country to give like Endorsement and
! aid to the men engaged in this mo-
naentous struggle
! The statement Of the executive
council. which members refused to in
terpret Or discuss in any manner. and
which is addressed to Our Fellow
Citizens and Our Fellow Workefs y
follows in part:
The executive council is of the
opinion that the officers of the United
Mine Workers Of America did every
thing liz their power to avert this
great industrial controversy. Due
! consideration has never been given to
the danger surrounding the coal min
-ers. The condition of the miner and
his family is such that he is practical
! ~ deprived not only OF sunshine and
fresh air. but to a certain extent he is
! deprived Of association and compan-
! iCnship Of all other human beings out
side Of his own particular class who
are themselves engaged in the danger
o,.s and unhealthy occupation CT coal
m:nig.
AQLnonllC SlaIlSllCS snow tn2U the
miners haze less than 200 days of en-
lploynlent each year.
''The high cost of living has pre-
scnted itself in perhaps a more Sc
rious form in isolated mining camps
than in large industrial centcrs.
There is usually not the same oDpor-
tunity for the miners in the mining
camps to make their purchases TO
such advantage as is presented in 9th
ec localities
The statement then goes on to de-
scribe the efforts to reach an agree
ment with the operators ct Buffalo
/ and later in Washington. The min
:ers scale committee, the statement
said. had full power to give and take
in the Buffalo conference, but the
employers refused to make any offer
whatever. Continuing the statement
says:
The machinery which has existed
for years and which has been success
ful in bringing about agreements be-