El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-10-27
Miners GHANGE
THEIR ATTITUDE
Express Willingness to Ne
gotiate New Wage

NANAN----A -ANA-A 80 -
one official. would be to play into
Z the hands Of the Bolshevik element. II
you are going 10 start a great often
sive you do not tell the other fellow
what you are going to do
While It Is the purpose 10 keep a
strong hand on the radicals Off
cials made Il plain that caution should
I be exercised not TO antag0nlze the
more conservative element IN this
connection they said that many Of the
miners demand might be Just
It is the means they use TO obtain
their demands to which we object
said one high official
we don't know what the week
VIII bring forth" said Ellis Searles.
editor Of the Mine Workers journal.
the official publication OF the organi-
zation.
Up TO the Operators
Eve do know this. that the miners
are willing-and have bsen-to ne
gotiate a new wage agreement be-
tween now and November 4. And we
40 know that the operators have re-
fused They have rejected proposal
after proposal
NOW. II the government Would use
the same amount Of. pressure on the
operators that il IS using on the
United Mine Workers Of America [
there would be no trouble in bringing
about a settlement The government
could bring the operators into con-
ference easily.
THE organized miners do not want
to strike-it is a last resort We hope
the operators yet may be induced 10
meet the miners and reach an agree Z
ment which VIII make the strike un-
necessary.
the miners have done everything n
their power 70 bring about a confer
ence SO that a new wage agreement
could be negotiated ana the strike
avoided. But the operators seem de-
termined to force a strike in order
TO maintain the high price or coat al
the mines
Predicts An WIN Quit.
should tie strike go into effect Sat
urday. 1lr. Searles said. every organ
lied birumin0us coal miner IN the
United states would cease work and
many unorganized miners would Join
the strike
He estimated that between 100000 1
and 100000 men would walk out. and
added that the government estimated I
that the shutdown would cut or 50
percent OF the birumlnous coal pro-
duced in the Unitses States
The strike. according to Ar searles,
would affect the partially organized
fields OF central PennsriVanlas parts I
OF West Virginia, excluding the Poca- /
hontas field which Is not organized. /
portions OF eastern Kentucky and Z
Tennessee. Alabama and Colorado ana
an Of the 100 percent organized llelas, I
which include Ohio, Indiana. Alcni- I
San. Illinois, Western Kentucky, 4ils-
so-,rE. kansas Oklahoma. Montana ana /
Washington Bituminous miners ~
Canada win not be affected
Discussed In senate
--re coal strike was discussed BRIEF I
IL today in the senate senator
Thomas. Democrat, Colorado asked 4
unanimous consent f0r lnllleal4-7 !
adoption d his resolution OF 1l- SUI
port Of congress TO the administration Z
in its efforts to meet the situation atl-
to preserve law and order but o. ou-
lection OF senator BQral, ltepunlic--ls .
Idaho, the measure went over
Senator Borah said he was no- WIZ
ing 10 commit himself IN advance 70 .
an unannounced program OF the al
minlstratlon in dealing Win l-7
threatened strike
Senator Thomas announced ne /
would call Up the resolution again 10 i
President wilson's statement on the I
strike was commended By both SEN
ators Thomas and Boran. senator
Borah told the senate he was
thoroughly opposed 20 the attltud1
81 Ebert H Cary. chairman Of the
O.
his associates in refusing 70 deal win 4
labor. Senator Thomas also said ne
dfsapuroved OF Mr. Gary's stand but
added that congress should act az
once TO assure the administrat Of
fu11 support in the coal strike
Senator Edge, Republican New Jer-
sey. proposed repeal Of the anti-t trust
laws exempting labor Organizations
from prosecution
1T is strange said ST Edge, lna-
So "aI|
squaring off-in some cases. fear
taking the law in its own han1s-tne
senate should pass leBlSiatlon e4-
emptinc il from punishment II Il f
violates the antitrust law
Senator Edge said labor was not
really employed By capital luL ~ F
the public. which must pay the eN-
orbitant wage demands now oeinE .
made
President issues Statement.
President Wilson's formal state
meut on the coal mine sltuallon Qr-
clared that the projected strike un- f
der present circumstances is not f
only unjustifiable, but unlawful
The president declined 20 enter j
into the merits Of the controversy j
between the miners and operators. Z
but emphaticzlly declared that the T
strike, which he characterized as me {
most far reaching proposal In the I
nations history TO restrict produc- &
ton and distribution or All uec11- i
saries OF life, had apparently been .
ordered without a vote Of the in
dividuaI miners concerned
For this reason, the president /
served definite notice that the law /
will be enforced and the means viii Z
be found TO protect the nation IN any /
emergency that may arise out OF this 2
unhappy business
The president reviewed the steps I
leading up 10 the strike call. inclull4s /
United Nine Workers OF America one {
a 30-hour week, and a so percent in (
crease in wages were formulated The I
war in itself, the president asserted :
was stil a fact, peace negotiations +
stil ia suspense and troops stil be-
ing transported
Because Of these factors and the
added consideration that victims OF
the strike would be among both The I
rich and the poor OF the nation the I
president said the proposed walkout Z
could only be considered as unlawful I
and as the nations executive en- /
trusted with enforcement Of the law,
he would use the means at his dis
posal 10 prevent any stoppage OF
work.
Awaits Effect OF Message.
Des Moiues. Ia. oct 2l.-Gov W.
L. Harding. Of Iowa, was awaiting To- Z
dav what effect the message Of presi- 4
dent wilson concerning the threat 2
ened coal strike might have before /
he took further steps toward calling /
the proposed conference Of governors 7
Of coal producing states in Indianap- [