Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-07
"HOur and a Half
Wasted" Declares
Secretary Glass.
HOPE WAS HELD
FOR END OF TIE-UP

Mr.. Palmer Emphatic
in Injunction Course
Until Mines Reopen.
The strike of the bituminous coal
miners in particular and the industrial
situation in general were discussed to-
day by President Wilson's cabinet at
| a special meeting called by Secretary
Lansing of the State Department.
| Fuel Administrator Garfield and Dr.
| rector General Hines of the railroad
administration met with the cabinet.
| . When the meeting adjourned, Sec
| rotary Glass. in reply to questions as
| to what had been accomplished, said:
Just an hour and a half wasted"
| Out Of today's meeting of the cabinet
| it had peen expected would come some
definite move looking 10 an early end
| ing of the mine strike. 1t was known
! that some of the Presidents closest
advisers had been at work as volun-
| teer mediators and they had brought
things to a point where a settlement was
almost in sight. But the situation is
| SO delicate that there has been danger
| at any moment that something might
| crop up to spill the beans" AS things
stood today, the horses had been led
! up to the trough, but it remained to be
seen whether they would drink.
Opposed to Gompers' Proposal.
! Before the cabinet assembled At
| torney General Palmer reiterated to
Samuel Gompers that the government
| was unalterably opposed to the pro-
posal of Mr.. Gompers. president Of
the American Federation of Labor.
| that the injunction suit against the
| United Mine Workers of America be
withdrawn as a preliminary to the
ending of the strike and the negotia-
ton of new agreement between the
miners and operators.
When Mr.. Palmer left the cabinet
meeting he reiterated that the in
| junction proceedings would be with
drawn the instant the officials of the
! miners union called Off the strike.
Mr.. Palmer hurried to his office. where
| he was to have another conference
| None of the members of the cabinet
would say what transpired at the
meeting. ...
I Secretary Wilson Silent.
| Secretary Wilson would not reply to
| questions as to whether ne had OPP
| posed the decision of the government
| to press the injunction proceedings.
He is reported to have opposed such
| action in the first place.
! Director General Hines and Mr..
| Garfield were with the cabinet about
an hour. but neither had ANYTHING to
say. They left the White House fif-
/ teen minutes before the meeting
! ended.
! 1t was said that the governments
offer to arbitrate the controversy was
still open and that unless 1t was ac-
copied and the strike ended there was
no course for the government except
to press the injunction suit
Gompers Fears Long Strike.
| That the strike of the United Mine
| Workers of America will never be set
/ tied, or at least it will be prolonged in
definitely. if the temporary injunction
issued by the United States court OF
/ Indianapolis against the officers OF the
| mine workers union is made permanent
| when the matter comes up for hnal
! hearing in the Indianapolis court tomor-
row, was the statement made by Mr..
Gompers after his conference this morn
! ing with Attorney General Palmer.
Mr.. Gompers returned to his office
at 1880 o'clock directly from the Office
of the Attorney General when he made
the statement. He said that he had
pointed out to Mr.. Palmer the dangers
of making the temporary injunction
permanent, as such a permanent in
junction would block all efforts to bring
about a settlement of the strike through
arbitration or other channels. Further
than this Mr.. Gonpers would not dis
cuss his conference with Mr.. Palmer.
The conference between the head OF.
the American Federation of Labor and
| the Attorney General lasted something
like half an hour. 1t was terminated
by the hour approaching for the cabi-
h;a., Io11 hol 70
attend.
It was said at the Department of
Justice. after the departure of Mr..
Gompers. that Mr.. Palmer would
prosecute the case against the strik-
ers along his original plans, as con-
tanned in the temporary injunction
now in force.
Nations Eyes on Indianapolis.
The eyes of the nation were turned
today toward Indianapolis, where to-
morrow action is scheduled to be
taken on the temporary restraining
order against leaders of the union
miners.
Since the statements issued by both
government and labor representatives
outlining their policies stopped their
public activities toward a settlement
of the strike, the opposing factions,
apparently, were awaiting the out
come of the court proceedings.
Preparations of a far-reaching ma
ture were made operative by the gov
eminent officials to safeguard the
public interest in case of an indefinite
Stoppage of part of the soft coal
production. Among the more i'm
portant measures were the orders to
discontinue the bunkering of foreign
owned ships in American ports and to
curtail train service when il was
necessary for the public welfare. In
duStrial plants and the citizenship as
a whole have been called upon 10
economic sharply in fuel.
Suffering Not Imminent.
From some points cries of alarm
were heard over the low supply of coal,
and in these cases consgnments Of
fuel were ordered dispatched speedily.
No actual suffering was believed i'm
minent, but the government was con-
WINGED that the consumption now is far
greater than production. and retrench-
ment is necessary.
Operators claimed reports to them
showed that conditions at the mines
were improving, while leaders of the
miners asserted they were holding
their own. and in some instances their
ranks had been enlarged.
No Change. Says Ames.
Before leaving Washington ast
night for Indianapolis, Assistant At :
torney General Anies. in charge Of the
governments case. declared there was
no change in Its policy toward tGe
strike, and that he would endeavor to
obtain a renewal OF it's temporary in
junction.