Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-31
Law Versus Strike.

Law Versus Strike.
If present plans are executed, to-
night at midnight upward of half a
million soft coal miners will quit
work, not to return tomorrow. The
bituminous industry will be practical
ly suspended. The production of this
vitality necessary commodity will be
curtailed to the point of depriving the
country of its principal fuel supply.
If this condition continues for fort
night, so low are the reserves of coal,
practically every industry in the
United States will be slowed, if not
absolutely stopped; railroads and
steamboats, will be operated on great
reduction of schedule. if at all; mu-
nicipal transportation and lighting will
be suspended, business will be cur
tailed through the failure of power
and light and in many parts of the
country great numbers of people who
depend upon bituminous fuel for the
heating of their homes and the prepa-
ration of their foods will be subjected
to cold and privation and great suf
fering will result.
It is announced that the full powers
of the government will be exercised
to prevent this catastrophe. No def
mite indication is given of the detailed
measures to be adopted. An injune-
ton has been obtained from the fed
eral court at Indianapolis to restrain
the leaders of the miners from carry
ing out the strike order, and, it
is assumed, that upon persistence
in conducting the strike they will be
arrested and prosecuted. Troops have
been moved in positions from which
they can be employed to maintain
order in the mining districts and to
give protection, if necessary and pos
sible, to men who elect to continue
at work in the mines. There is no
suggestion that the government will
::self undertake the mining of coal.
Yesterday the Senate adopted unani-
mously a resolution giving the ma
tional administration assurance of
constant. continuous and unqualified
support in the use of such constitu-
tional and lawful means as may be
necessary to meet the present indus
trial emergency and in vindieating the
majesty and power of the government
in enforcing obedience to and respect
for the Constitution and the laws and
in fully protecting every citizen in
the maintenance and exercise of his
lawful rights and the observance of
his lawful obligations" 1t is expected
and believed that the House will con-
cur in this resolution, thus pledging
the full support Of Congress to all
lawful measures the administration
may undertake to meet this crisis.
This strike of the coal miners, en-
failing as it does so grave a posi-
bility of disaster, certain as it is to
cause the sharpest suffering among
the miners themselves, unlikely as it is
to yield any good to the operatives,
who are ill-prepared in funds for a
protracted suspension Of work, has
been called ostansibly to enforce de-
mands for better working conditions,
hours and wages.
1t is contended by the miners leaders
that their efforts to secure negotia-
lions have been rejected. At the eli
max of the recent consultation here
between representatives of the men
and the operators, however, it was plain
that the negotiation of the matters in
dispute was possible without reserva-
ton. The calling of the strike in the
face of that willingness, however re-
luctantly expressed, to submit the
whole matter to an arbitration con-
stitutes not only, as the President and
the Attorney" General have said, an
illegal violation of contract, but a
fragrant defiance Of public order and
public safety.
In these circumstances the people
of the United States will, with few
exceptions, support all measures adopt
ed by the government to the end of
quickly ending this strike and restor.
ing the coal-mining industry in or
der that the country may have fuel
regardless of the issues involved in
the demands of the men, which are
now obseured by the greater issue OF
national welfare.
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