The Washington times., 1919-11-10

,an Federation or Labor last nigh
,sued the following statement:
The executive council of the
American Federation of Labor,
called into special session in the
city OF " ashington for Il Q ex-
press pu -pJ,e of coT.Hidertng the
coal strike, the conditions ,.hich
brought on the strike, as well as
the court proceedings brought by
the Government, submit to our
fellow citizens and o our fellow
workers the following statement:
The executive council rs OF tie
opinion that the officers of the
United Mine Workers OF Amer
lea did everything in their pow
er to avert this great Industrial
controversy. OF all the great in
dustries in our country, there is
none so dangerous TO human life
as the coal industry. The men
who go down under the ground
to dig coal. so that the domestic
and industrial needs of the nation
may be supplied are engaged in
work more hazardous than any
other employment. Due consid-
Grafton has never been given to
the danger. surrounding the coal
miners. There is no other class
OF employment where each in
dividual worker is so isolated
and in whose districts there is
such a lack of opportunity for
social intercourse and enjoyment.
Hsrdships of Miners.
The condition of the miner and
his family is such that he is
practically deprived not only of
sunshine and fresh air, but to a
certain extent he Is deprived of
the association and companion
ship of all other human beings
outside of his own particular class
who are he0selves engaged in
the dangerous and unhealthy oc-
cupation of coal mining. The
miners suffer more than any other
workers from periods of com
pulsory unemployment. Au.hcn-
tic statistics show that the min
ers have less than zoo days OF
employment during each year.
The wages of the miners conse-
quentfy, having to spread over
NhS gSdAs dIC re-
duced as a result of the nom
employment existing in that in
dustry. s.,a-
The high cost of living has pre-
sented itself in perhaps a more
serious form in isolated mining
camps than in large industrial
centers. There is usually not the
same opportunity for the miners
in the mining camps to make
their purchases to such advantage
as Is presented in other localities.
Their isolation prevents this.
The United Mine Workers, in
their convention, held during the
month OF September in the city
of Cleveland, adopted a positive
declaration demanding improved
conditions of employment for the
miners. They further instructed
the officers proceed to obtain
by. negotiations, with the oper-
ators the working conditions
that the convention unapimousis
adopted SO ~ |.
5eo,oo0 Organized Men.
There were almost 200 dele
gates seated in the convention,
representing 100000 organized
miners. They further positively
and explicitly instructed their Off
GERS that unless an agreement was
reached on or before the first day
of November, 1919, the resolution
of the convention calling for a
strike on November l, 1919,
should be communicated to the
membership. There was no alter
native except for the officers, who
are elected BY the membership, to
carry out the direct instructions
of the membership or resign from
their positions as officers. in
which event chaos and confusion
would result.
The officers OF the mine work.
ers, with their scale committee,
entered into conferences and dis
cussiops with the operators in the
city of Buffalo. They stated at
the conference that they had full
power to negotiate an agreement;
in other words, that they had the
power to give and take in the
conference. The employers re-
fused to make any offer what
ever. Later on the miners
answered the call of the Secre-
tary of Labor and further en-
deavored to reach an agreement,
but failed. The officers then pro-
eeeded to carry out the instruc-
tions of their membership and
communicated the results of the
failure of negotiations, and by
order of the convention the
strike automatically took effect
November /, 1919.
Are willing to Negotiate.
The machinery which has ex-
listed for years and which has
been successful in bringing about
agreements between the miners
and the operators still exists, and
they, as representatives of the
miners, were and are ready and
willing to. enter into negotiations
without reservation to reach an
agreement.
At this time, our Government
interjected itself and applied for
an injunction.
A temporary restraining order
was granted by Federal Judge
which restrains the Officials of