The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-11-12
Federation of Labor
Men Astonished at Ac-
ton Of the Miners.
SAY PALMER HAS
IGNORED PLEDGE
Statement Criticizes At
tcrney General in Dis
play of Feeling Against
Him

Washington. Nov. 1.-THE calling
of nj the Goa! strike lifted great
weight from the mind of Official
Washington TODAY. resulting in ex-
pressions on all hands OF relief and
~ tisfactlon that the crisis had been
passed
The government in1ne diat ely
took the initial tive to bring the oper-
ators and the miners together with
the result that by T:30 tonight &C
ceptances had been received by
both parties 70 meet Secretary OF
Labor Wilson in a new conference
Friday morning to reach a settle
ment of ali matters in dispute.
BY agreernent with the other mem
bers OF the cabinet Secretary Of
La Dor WILSON Immediately took
steps this afternoon TO bring to-
gether in Wash ington Friday, rep
reseutatives of both the miners and
tire mine operators for the purpose
OF rsopening negotia tons tor wagN
scale and new working agreement
Messages were sent by Secretary
Of Labor Wilson to President John
L Lewis of the United Mine Work
era. and Chairman Thomas T.
Brewster of the coal operators as
sociation asking them and their rep
resen tatives TO meet in Washing
ton Friday.
Harry \. Taylor, president OF the
National Coal association. with
headquarters in Washington. was
also included IN Secretary Wilson's
invita- ton, so that the joint meeting
Of miners and mine operators might
be represer rive at the sntiEe coal
industry
Secretary Wilson's invitations were
accepted al once by the representa-
tives or the mine operators.
Cabinet officers were of the
opinion that il was far better TO
bring the miners and the mine
'~0rfercfrcts tsF4n s>sstr~y TT settfe diff
ficultles by a board OF arbitration.
A r L. SURPRISED
American federation OF la Dor Of
ficials said today that they had no
statement 10 make regarding the
resembling Of the strike order, To say
that they were surprised at the re-
call Of the order, after the execu~
tive council had endorsed the strike
and pledged support to the miners,
y 10 put it mildly.
Not only were the American fede-
ration Of labor officials surprised at
the action of President Lewis today,
but plainly they were puzzled 1t
is 81 fe 10 say that neither President
G0mpers nor any Of the other mem
hers Of the executive council had
any idea that the strike order
would be recalled.
The renewal OF negotia tons be-
tween the miners and the naine
operators does not mean, it was
turn to work.
II is conceded in both camps, that
is, by both the labor leaders and by
the coal operators that Is likely
that some Of the miners will refuse
10 follow the lead of President
Lewis and stay out until the negoria-
tons are concluded.
Put the general opinion ia that
the strike is now at an end in fact,
as we'll as in name, and that 80
many Of the miners will go back TO
work that something approaching
normal production will be resurn ed
The government, however. took
no action today toward RESEMBLING
the orders governing distribution OF
coal and priority rules,
The coming conference betweAp
the miners and the mine operators
is not expected TO be of short dura-
ton. One OF the most important
matters TO he settled is the making
Of new agreement to replace the
one now in existence. This will take
some time,
It is also predicted that both tho
miners and the mine operators will
approach each other in a better
frame of mind than they were be-
fore the strike. There is at bottom
q solid feeling OF mutual under
sta ndine between both miners and
mine operators and this is expected
10 make itself felt in the expected
negotiations.
Secretary Wilson's telegram to
Nj Lewis was:
Il have today sent to Harry A.
Taylor president OF the National
Coal association the following:
The officials OF the United Mine
Workers of America having this day
Withdrawn the strike order. re-
quest that you and associate repre-
senratives of coal operators from
the different fields involved in tho
present strike meet me in the city
OF Washington in the auditorium
of the new interior building on FRI
day. November IA. at II A. NJ. for
the purpose Of negotiation basis
az settlement. Will you Immediately
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