The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-09-23
Would Have Government Buy
All Mines and Operate With
Miner Representation.
WOULD GUST BURLESON
Call Him "Uncharitable, Harsh
and Malignant Opponent of
LabOr"-New Trial or Full
Pardon Asked for Mooney.

Cleveland, Sept. 22.-The conven
tion of the United Mine Workers of
America has developed its plan for
the naturalization of coal mines,
which includes purchase by the fed
eral government Of all private mines
at their actual value as determined
by federal appraisers and operation
by the federal government, with equal
miner representation upon the bodies
administering the industry, and fixing
wages and conditions of employment.
Naturalization of coal mines in Can
ada also is proposed. The miners Of
fer right of way to naturalization Of
railroads, provided the railroad broth
erhoods pledge themselves to con-
tinue the fight with equal vigor for
the naturalization of the mines. Ac
tion was taken by a unanimous rising
vote.
The convention further adopted
resolutions demanding legislation TO
take from the United States Supreme
court the power to declare unconsti-
tutional laws passed by the elective
congress; calling upon President Will
son to remove Postmaster General
Burleson as the "uncharitable, harsh
and malignant opponent of labor
and asking a new trial or full pardon
for Thomas j. Mooney and Warren X.
Billings, the repeal of the espionage
act and amnesty for political prison
ers. 1t refused, however, to call, as
proposed general strike and stop
page of all production until all polit-
ical and industrial prisoners are re-
leased and in it's resolution on the
espionage act declared that many Of
tenders had been Justly convicted for
interference with the prosecution OF
the war and thatit had no desire to
condone such offenses.
The resolution in regard to nation
alization of mines reads in part as
follows:
Goal mining is a basic industry.
indispensable to the economic life of
the nations citizens.
THE all-:mportant coal resources
of our country are owned and con-
trolled by private interests. Under
the prevailing system of private own
ership, coal is mined primarily for
the purpose of creating profits for the
coal owners. The production OF coal
under this system is characterized by
an appalling economic waste. The in
comparable natural resources of
America. .. and particularly those of
timber and coal. are being despoiled
under a system of production which
wastes from 3S to SO per cent OF
these resources in order that the max
imum amount of dividends may ac-
crue to those capitalists who have Sc
cured ownership of these indispensa-
BILE commodities.
I'VE hold that the coal supply of
our nation should be owned by the
commonwealth and operated in the
interest OF, and for the use and COM
ioie Va "il tiC pcOpit VI luc NOtu
wealth. Countless generations of
men and women will doubtless fol-
low us, and the American people OF
this generation owe a solemn duty to
them I'm protecting with jealous care
and conserving with wise administra-
tion those great treasures which a
bounteous nature has bestowed upon
re IN such generous store.
Our coal resources are the birth
right of the American people for all
time to come and we hold that It is
the immediate duty OF the American
people to prevent the profiigate waste
that is taking pace under private
ownership of these resources, by hav-
Ing the government take such. steps
as may be necessary. providing for
the naturalization or the coal min
ing industry OF the United States.
Under private ownership where
production is conducted for private
gain, the spirit Of these times seems
10 be: After us the deluge.' This
must be supplanted by system
where production will be for use and
the common good and economic wasta