Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-11-05
Pressure For Mediation,
: However, is Predicted
Within a Week
PLAN TO END STRIKE
Palmer Announces The Government
Has No Intention of Facating In
Junction.

The pressure for mediation in the
coal strike that will accomplish re-
suits before industry suffers even
partial paralysis was continued on
all sides yesterday, and it was freely
predicted that before another week
had passed the country would find
that the President had named COM
mission to settle the controversy and
had issued a summary demand that
both miners and operators abide by
the award.
Such commission, it is confidently
believed, will be composed Of men of
the type of former President William
H. Taft, whose impartiality and de-
votion to rigid justice no sane man
could challenge.
Withdrawal of the injunction OBJ
tanned by the government will open
the way for settlement of the coal
strike, Samuel Gompers, president of
the American Federation of Labor, de-
clares in statement.
Charging that the injunction was
a grave wrong and gross blundar, Mr..
Gompers said if it were vacated and
miners and operators invited 10 fur
ther conference by the Departm ont of
Labor he had "an abiding faith" that
mutually honorable adjustment
could be negotiated and effected
whereby the coal strike can be
brought to an end"
. Attorney General Palmer declared
that the government has no. the
slightest intention of vacatin:. the
coal strike injunction. This was in
answer to reports that the govern
ment would recede from its action in
the courts by way of conciliat;on to
the miners for the opening of nego-
tiations.
On the contrary, the government
will, at the hearing before Judge
Anderson in Indianapolis Saturday,
urge vigorously that the strike be
held illegal and that the temporary
restraining order be made p"rma-
ncnt.
Attorney General Palmer asserted
that he is opposed to government by
injunction but points out the d!stinc-
ton in the coal strike case. He de-
clares that the injunction is sought
OF the ground that the strike is
violation of the Food and Fuel Act.
and that while individual criminal
prosecutions and vast number of
ciri actions for damages could have
been instituted the government has
chosen 20 settle the issue in the court
at indianapolis.
indianapolis. Nov. 5.-Acting Presi-
dent John l.. Lewis, of the United
Mine Workers of America last night
stated that the miners will be willing
to resume negotiations with the opera
tors Immediately if the restraining
or;!nr now in force against them Is
vacated. His statement was made af-
Ten. being shown an Associated Press
dispatch quoting President Samuel
Gcmpers. of the American Federation
of Labor, as advocating withdrawal
IF the restraining order as step to-
ward settlement of the strike.
Chicago, Nov. 5.-At the end CT the
fourth day of the soft coal strike that
has closed nearly all union mines in
the country and largely stopped pro
duction, with about $4,000 miners
idle. there has been no break or weak
ening on the part either of the miners
or the operators. There were indica-
tions that each SIDE vas willing to
negotiate. but each seemed deter
mined that the other should sur
render some point before diplomatic
relations should be resumed.