The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-21
Frelinghuysen's Attack Hits at
Present Leadership.
Calls 1t ''New Autocracy" Tend
ing Toward BOlshevism.
RAPS DEMANDS OF MINERS
New Jersey Scion Says They
Mean High Coal Prices.
Labor Digging Own Grave by
Actions, He Declares.

Washington, Oct. 21.-While repre-
sentatiYes of the miners and operators
were comforting with Secretary VIZ
son today in a last effort to avert the
threatened strike of bituminous coal
workers November 1, the proposed:
walkout was denounced in the senate
as a strike of union officers and not
of the men and as an effort to bring
about class control.
Senator Frelinghuysen, chairman of
the senate committee investigating the
coal strike, started the discussion by
denouncing trade unionism under its
present leadership as a new autoc-
racy," tending toward Bolshevism. In
the course of his remarks he said from
his information today's conferences
woul dnot be successful.
Doesn't See Settlement.
This view apparently was reflected
by John L. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers of America who
stated when the conference recessed
for luncheon that he saw no reason to
change his original position that the
strike would become effective unless
all of the union demands were met.
Nearly a dozen senators Joined in
the strike discussion in the senate and
most of them expressed the opinion
that while the miners demands were
submitted only to the operators in the
central competitive region in PennsyI-
NduId anu the InlQOl0 the SlTlhC
would be nationwide.
President Wilson has been advised
of the strike situation but had not UNI
dertaken to intervene. so far as has
been made known. The cabinet met
today, but Secretary Lansing said the
of the absence of Secretary Wilson.
Terms Demands "Inordinate.''
The New Jersey senator said the
Il n of he nj a NJ m
aliens, were "inordinate," and could
not be granted, as they would. result
in decreased production and An in
crease in price to the consumer of
from 50 to $3.50 ton.
There is determined movement
thruout the land to assume control of
all government functions in behalf of
a Glass; continued Senator Freling-
huysen. I'VE have come to a parting
of the ways. This country is not ready
to be dictated to by a horde of aliens
ANY citizen who seeks to advance the
interest of himself and his associates
at the expense of the general public is
not a patriotic citizen. Sovietism
means class rule. We cannot permit
that in America and still preserve our
democratic institutions.
Labor unionism should be upheld
for one primary principle to obtain
and maintain justice for the man VINO
earns his bread by the sweat of his
brow; but whenNthe power of organ
ization is employed to impose injustice
against all other classes of society, the
law of the land should be invoked to
prevent the abuse of such power, or
laws enacted,th will do this.
when labor defies law and order
thru the power of its union. it is
sounding its own death knell and dig
ging it's own grave"
Strike of Union Officers, He Says.
declared the threatened strike would
be one of union delegates and officers
and not of miners themselves.
Ordinarily strike demands are sub
mitteA to q referendum of the miners"
he said ''In this case they were not,
but were fixed by the delegates at the
Cleveland convention of the $4,000
miners in Ohio. 1 understand, If they
had. referendum, the demands
would be Overwhelmingly repudiated."