The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-16
Cases of Other 81 Miner Chiefs
Postponed for Time.
Continued Violation of Court
Order Kansas Chiefs Charge.
KANSAS BEER STRIKES CAUSE
Federal Attorney Declares
Strike May Be Renewed.
Miners Not Prepared To Abide
Decision Wage Commisson.

Indianapolis. Ind, Dec. 1e.-
Charges of contempt of court against
eighty-four officials of the United
Mine Workers of America, with one
exception, were continued this morn
ing by United States District Judge A.
B. Anderson until such a date as it is
deemed advisable to bring the cases
again before the court. The exception
is the charge against Alexander How
at, president of the Kansas district
of the mine workers, who is charged
with continued violation of the courts
injunction against furtherance of the
strike.
! Attorneys for Howat, who is under
$4,000 bond, were instructed to have
him appear in court next Monday
morning, December %. Government
attorneys charged that since the
| agreement reached by the miners last
week TO end the strike on the basis
suggested by President Wilson, HoWat
has been instrumental in ending the
strike in the Kansas region, insofar
as it affected men called out on Octo-
Der 81, but has succeeded in keeping
, out men who were on local strike
prior to the general strike.
The motion for continuance of the
| charges of contempt was made by
Henry Warrum, general counsel for
! the United Mine Workers, and was
concurred in by the government The
attorneys took the position that re-
sumption of operation and return to
work of miners was in compliance
with the courts order for ending the
strike. Judge Anderson said he was
unwilling to continue the cases indefi-
nitely and indicated that they prob
! ably would be called up again within
! week or two for a report as to
fF1ar he YfT1fS
in their obedience of the Injunction.
We're On Beer Strike.
Judge Anderson manifested consid-
erabIe interest in the charges against
| Howat and asked for an explation of
a statement by government attorneys
! that a beer strike was in force in
! Kansas prior to the calling of the gen.
eral strike It was explained that
when the miners wanted some par
! ticular concession in connection with
the employment or living conditions,
| they went on local strikes. In this
case, it was stated, members of some
of the Kansas locals took the position
of mo beer, no work" 1t was de-
clared such actions by locals were not
considered strikes by the international
union, but merely "stampedes." A
: part of the Missouri miners are in
volved in a local strike in sympathy
with the Kansas miners, it was stated.
but altho the officials of the Missouri
miners were mentioned as violating
the injunction in the same manner as
| Howat. theyewere not ordered to ap-
pear on Monday.
In asking that the status of the
! charges be such that they may be
! brought up again at any time, Dan
| w. Simms of Lafayette, Indiana.
special assistant United States district
attorney declared that there was pos
sibility of an attempt to renew the
| strike of coal miners If the report of
| the commission to be appointed by
/ President Wilson does not meet the
approval of the miners in general.
! Investigation of charges of violation
! of the Lever law and antitrust acts
by both operators and miners is sched-
: uled to begin here tomorrow. with the
! empanelling of a federal grand jury
! This inquiry, government officials
stated today, will be nation wide and
will not be confined to miners and
! operators if it is found that any other
persons have conspired to limit pro-
duction of coal.
Howat Don't Know Why"
| Pittsburg, Kan. Dec. 16.-'I know
! of no reason why I should be asked
+ to appear and the others are not SO
! ordered" Alexander Howat, president
/ of the Kansas miners, said today when
! told of the Associated Press dispatch
/ from Indianapolis, stating that he had
/ been ordered to appear Monday to
answer to a contempt charge before
I (Continued on Page SIX