Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-05
Withdrawal Of Injunction OBJ
tanned by Government Will
Open Way for Settlement,
Samuel GomperS Asserts.
CALLS FEDERAL ACTION
WRONG AND A BLUNDER
Public Begins to Feel Effect
of Strike in Serious Meas
ure, Particularly in Montana
Districts and Southwest.

the fourth day or the SOFT coal strike
that has closed nearly all union
mines in the country and largely
stopped production with about 425,-
600 miners idle, there had been no
break or weakening on the part of
either the miners or the operators.
There were indications that each
side was willing to negotiate, but
each seemed determined that the
other should surrender some poiht
before diplomatic relations should be
renewed. The chiefs of organized
labor, particularly Samuel Gompers,
suggested that the government
should dissolve its injunction against
the mine workers officials and that
such move would indicate that the
way was open to peace. Gompers
called the injunction a grave wrong
and gross blunder. The mine oper-
ators maintained their attitude that
The strike must be called off before
negotiations could be opened. John
l.. Lewis, acting head of the miners
organization, said the negotiations
NCoIu oldAl dHy tflllS.
While operators and miners re-
manned idle and the mines stood de-
serted, except for such men as the
unions allowed to remain in the
shafts and upper works to care for
rnashinery. the public in some sec
tons had begun to feel the effect Of
the sstrike.in a serious measure
Montana Distressed.
Montana was especially distressed,
the strike having closed schools in
Billings, while descriptions of the
situation in the state indicated that
many householders were on the
verge of suffering. Coal bins of
many homes were empty, dispatches
said. and many farmers in the dry
farming regions were without fuel.
Three branches of the state univer-
sity and the state normal at Dillon
may have to close shortly. Officials
were considering the question of
taking several hundred prisoners
from the penitentiary at Deer Lc dge
to the mountains to cut wood for
the prison.
In the southwest many consumers
had no coal, but the regional coal
committee announced today those
victims of the strike would be given
two weeks supply. St. Louis deal
ers declared they were almost out
of coal and petitioned the govern
ment to return to authority the for
mer state fuel administrator of Mis-
souri,.
Railroads Operating.
Railroad operation continued with
out interruption. The railroad ad-
has outlined its pro-.
gram for conserving coal stocks and
will have central committee sit
ting constantly at Washington to re-
ceive reports and to instruct the, re-
gional committees.
There was little change in the sit
uation today. Among the announce
ments tonight was enc from Thomas
Brewster, chairman of the coal op-
orators scale committee at St. Louis,
that the majority of operators may
flle damage suits against the United
Mine Workers Of America, alleging
breach of contract. While the mine
workers body decided that the war
was over and their contract with the
mine owners expired, the operators
have maintained that the war never
has been officially terminated and
the strike was contract violation.
Such suits would be filed by oper-
ators individually and not by the op-
orators association, Mr.. Brewster
said.
John L. Lewis, acting head of the
mine workers, who today stated that
the collective bargaining machinery
of miners and operators was still
intact and all that was necessary
was for the government and opera
tors to put it in motion, tonight said
resumption of negotia-
tons could follow dismissal of the
governments injunction suit. The
however, through the
attorney generals Office today had
let it be known that the Injunction
proceedings would stand and that
there was no thought of dismissal.
Gompers' Statement.
Mr.. Gompers' statement was is
sued after his return to Washing
ton from New York in response to
requests for an express
sion as to chances of bringing the
strike to speedy end. The state
ment follows:
Representative OF newspapers
have asked me for a statement re-
garding the coal strike and the situ-
alton.
"In the first instance it should be
known that the demands of the min
ers, which upon the surface seems
SO radical and far-reachiug, are by
no means so. For several years the
miners have not had more than a
half years work-their working
days averaging from 100 to 1870 days