The sun., 1919-10-30
GOVERNMENT MAKES READY TO COMBAT THE COAL STRIKE;
ASSURES FUEL SUPPLY AND WILL PROTECT LOYAL WORKERS.
MLNERS INSIST THAT THEY WILL GO OUT TOMORROW NIGHT
I/ASHINGTON, 29The Of inpdno
w strike

There can be no doubt that the Government has the
power the public interest under the law to deal with
the projected strike of the bitumnous coal miners without
infringing upon the recognized right Of in any line of
industry to work when they please and quit work when
they please The egaly of this strike and will be
established without in any way imparng the general
right strike and the general right to strike is not in
issue in any whatever in the present situation.
This is true because the circumstances diferentiate
this from the Of any other strike that has
taken place in the country 1t does not follow that every
strike is lawful merely because the right strike recog
nized to exist. Every must stand upon its
bottom and be governed by its facts Therefore when
the President said in his statement last Saturday that
such strike, in such circumstances not only unjust
fbable but unlawful reference had only to the
ditiops in the impending situation.
The proposed strike ordered in manner, for
purpose and with necessary effect. which taken to-
eetber put it outside the pale of the law After the
subjects of such peculiar public Importance to justify
a special statutory enactment. The Fuel Admnistra
tion created to supervise the subject and matters
OF wages well prices considered and sanctioned
by the Fuel Administration. After the cessation of hos
tties the Fuel Administration suspended certain Of its
orders but did not terminate them and they subject
to reinstatement at any time upon the Presidents order
and the statute under which the orders made is still
in full force:
Mine Workers at Cleveland last September decided to
annul oil wage contracts November ! and took the
unprecedented steps OF deciding in advance of any op
portunity for consultation either with the Government
with the coal operators to strike November unless
satisfactory new arrangements should be made
Without any expression from the workers themselves.
the organization promulgated a demand for a go per
cent increase in wages sx-hour day and hve-day
week and authorized strike to be effective November
before the demands we're presented to the opera
tors. The demand for a wage agreement covered
only part of the coal fields but the strike order was
sent broadcast to workers in other fields where operators
had been given opportunity to consider demands
for increased wages or decreased hours All this has
been done while the miners in every deld through their
right of collective bargaining had entered into solemn
contract with the operators, fixing and hours for
definite period which has yet expired The opera
upon the insstence of the President indicated their
willingness negotiate and arbrae providing the strike
is deferred while the miners rejected the Presidents
request for arbitration OF settlement aud
fused to defer the strike
Some Of the wage contracts made with the sanction
OF the Federal Government operating through the Fuel
Adminsrao 10 during the continuation OF the
until April 1920. Many others, however until
time still in the future without regard for the continuation
of the war