Norwich bulletin., 1919-11-10
labor.
Holds Order A,tocratie.

Holding that the act.Ai of the gov l ernment in injunction proceedings 1
 against striking batuminous coal miners to be "so autocratic as to stagger the human Inind.'' the execu tive council of the American Fedora
 tion of Labor declared tonight in a
 statement issued after a four hour meeting that the miners walkout was justified, promised for the strike the entire support of organized labor and asked aid and endorsement for it from
 the general public.
 The Lever act, under which the gov-
 ernment acted in the court proceed
 ingS, never was enacted to apply to
 workers. the council asserted, and it's
 use against the miners was classed as injustice not only to workers but to
 all hberty-loving Americans" The
 action was taken without the par ticipation of William Green. general secretary of the mine workers, who | is member. but all the remaining l principal officers of the A. F. of l. l were present
 The council began it's sessions at o'lock. after its members had been l hastily summoned together and the 1 statement which formulated it's action i was carefully revised and rewritten
 by Samuel Gompers and Frank Morri- I 9R | lively, of the federation.
 | The council in it's statement pre-
 sented at length the history of the
 negotiations which led up to and pre- clpltated the coal strike. declaring al- most in the first sentence that the
 officers of the United Mine Workers did everything in their power to avert
 this great industrial struggle" It re-
 served it's bitterest words for later
 comment on governmental action
 There were, 2.200 delegates, repre-
 senting 800 900 miners. seated in the
 convention which called the strike. the statement said. after briefly sketchfng complaints of working conditions in the industry which it is asserted the miners seek to remedy by striking. The instructions of the convention : were taken through the usual com
 mittees into conferences with the op- orators, and then, the statement puts
 lit, 'our government interjected itself and applied for an irjunction.s
 Invasion of Rights of Miners.
 The statement characterized the ac- : tion as invasion of the rights .ot moners2 intended to starye the miners into submission by cutting off theii l strike benefits, and demanded the 2 withdrawal of the injunction secured t Saturday at Indianapolis Ito restore t confidence in the institutions of oul . country and respect to ourts" : By all. the facts in the case, tn, n miners strike is justified" it conclud e ed. We inderse it. We are convinced e of the justice of the miners cause q We pledge to the miners the full sup r port of the American Federation o : Labor and appeal to the workers ant ;, citizenship of our country to give lik e indorsement and aid to the men en - gagged in this momentous struggle" f The statement of the executiv e council, which members refused to in
 terpret or discuss in any manner, am e which is addressed to "our fellow eiti : zens and to our fellow workers" fol n lows:
 IT Statement of Executive Council. d ''Fhe executive council is of in l. opinion that the officers of the Unite $ Mine Workers of America did every Le thing in their power to avert thi |. great industrial controversy Of a IS the great industries in our countr, IF there is none so dangerous to huma er life as the coal industry. The men wh al go down under the ground to dig coa $. so that the domestic and industri; 1e needs of the nation may be supplie D. are engaged in work more hazardor ry than any other employment. Due COT
 sideration has never been given to u 'n danger surrounding the coal miner