The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-10-29
SIX OR 1--WE.
fInrERNArloNaL NEWS sERucvl

INDIANAPOLIS oct 29-Fin1a de-
cision as TO whether hundreds of thou
sands Of soft coal miners Of the cour
Try will strike q midnight Friday hung
IL the balance here today.
With tie eyes Of the nation focused
upon them. officials Of the United Min~
Workers gathered 70 frame reply TIL
President Wilson's plea that he .trib7
order be recalled
SITUATION CRITICAL
John L Lewis. acting president -
the miners organization; william Green
secretary: the executive council Of =
presidents Of 2s district organizations
and 30 members Of the scale committee
comprise the body upon which rested
the decision TO whether the nation
would be plunged into one OF the
greatest disasters st has ever known
ORDER IN MINERS HANDS.
The strike order is in the hands N
union miners IN every part Of the
country and only a recall from tire
conference here today can stay the
walkout Miners officials predict that
more than five hundred thousand men
would be involved. many unorganizeI
workers joining the four hundred thou-
sand union miners of the bi,uminou
coal fields
DO NOT SHARE OPTIMISM
Despite the optimism expressed ia
government circles that the strike
might vet be averted. this feeling va
not apparent among miners officia's
= they convened to make their fips
stand. Reluctant To prejudice" tn
conference. the conferees talked ~pa
inEiy of any hopes they night entci
tain Of an eleventh hour adjustne
of the wage controversy
The reply 70 President wilson's nlca
embodied in the Statement to the pub
lie" may be based on FIVE points it was
forecast At the hour Of adjournment
1t was believed that the answer will
follow closely these lines
!. The president IS i'll advised as to
the existence Of wage contract the
miners contending that the WashingtoI
agreement expired NOV III Armistict
Day. last year.
? The president occupies two posi-
tions-one for labor and one for capital
this assertion on the Presidents action
in vetoing the prohibition enforcement
law
3. The operators have never offered
a constructive suggestion upon which
To base an agreement
!. The president is wrong when be
states that the rank and hle Of the
miners" are not backing the strike plan
8. The miners cannot live on the
present scale and 1t IS right and Lawful
70 fight for existence
SAYS EMERGENCY PASSED.
The attitude Of the president on
the prohibition enforcement law en-
presses the sentiment Of the mines
in regard TO our demands" said NJ
Lewis. who arrived late Yesterday from,
Springfield III The war emergencY
has passed and with il has passed our
wage agreement
The miners executive reiterated
statements that the miners were VIII
ing UP 10 the last minute 10 meet the
operators without reservation"
No HOPE FOR AGREEMENT
There has beer no change whatevet
IN the situation said Lewis as he
entered the conference. room Lewis
reiterated statements tRat he had l.
ceived no communications upon which
to base hope for agreement
= cannot say whether there Is hops
that the strike nsay be averted satd
William Green. International Secretary
Treasure OF the T. N. ". Of a Every
thing rests with the conference TFa1-
ing had no cbnversations with ths
delegates I do not know what the a.
titude Of the men in the various deIc-
gates 7 do not know what the attitud.
Of the men in the various districts ma
be toward recall of the strike order
POWERLESS TO STAY 1T.
r the expressions OF representative
CONTINUE on page nve)