Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-25
FIRM PROGRAM OF
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would provoke violence, bloodshed
and insurrection."
The resolution would pledge the
constant, continuous and unquali-
fled support" of Congress to the
national administration and all
others in authority in meeting the
great emergency confronting u.s."
One phase of the situation which
most officials had in mind was that
of cost of coal to the public during
the threatened strike. 1t was said
with Attorney General Palmer to re-
duce the cost of living probably
would add coal to the commodities
on which they have issued fair
prices. Officials said the Department
of Justice would not undertake TO
set a national price for coal, be-
cause of the differences between
mining costs and freight rates but
that the question would be handled
locally.
Will Stop Friday
Just before the Cabinet met. John
l.. Lewis, president of the United
Mine Workers of America, sent word
to unions throughout the country
next Friday night.
Lewis said the strike would last
! until the Government is able to in
duce the stubborn coal operators TO
deal humanity with the men who
mine the coal"
And one. mans guess is as good
as another's on that" he added.
Before leaving for home members
of the miners full scale committee
said they realized now that public
sentiment was largely against the
miners, but contended there would
be a quick change with the first
evidence of profiteerng."
Even an appeal from President
Wilson, sick in bed at the White
House, was not enough to bring
peace.
While the operators announced
that they had accepted the Presi-
dents offer to wipe the slate clean
and negotiate a new wage agree
ment, the miners charged that the
operators had bolted without the
consent of Secretary of Labor Will
son, the storm center of an eXtraor-
dinary fight to save the country un-
told distress and suffering.
Surrounded by a score of miners,
John L. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers of America,
hurried out of the hall and halted
long enough to announce that the
strike order stood and that the min
ers would walk out after full days
work on the closing day of the pres
ent month.
Statements Issued
Thomas T. Brewster, chairman of
the coal operat ors' scale committee,
issued the following statement:
THE operators accepted President
Wilson's proposal to resume nego-
tiations for Il wage scale and to sub
nit to arbitration any point which
could not be agreed to, the mines to
be kept at work during negotiations.
This the miners refused, thereby
breaking off the negotiations and
making the strike inevitable.
"The refusal of the miners to ac-
cept or consider any of the PROPOSE
tions submitted, including the final
proposition from President Wilson
to submit all matters to arbitration,
demonstrates their determination
that the coal supply of the United
States will be cut off unless their de-
mands are granted in full. Mr.. Lewis
is running true to his statement that
the government can't stop the
strike.
The United Mine Workers of
America assert that the operators
walked out of the conference" and
did exactly what they set out de-
liberately to do in the first place
forced the bituminous miners of the
United States to strike"
Miners Blame Operators
The operators, it was charged, did
not want or intend to negotiate a
new wage agreement, and that they
had declined to do so in conference
with Secretary Wilson.
I'VE charge that full RESPONSE
bility for whatever may be the re-
suit or the consequences must rest
on the operators" the statement
said. because of their stubborn de-
termination that no new agreement
should be reached"
Discussing the Presidents offer,
the statement said:
knowing that the operators were
dead set against the making of a
new agreement, we knew that if
both sides accepted the two propo-
sitions made by President Wilson
one for negotiation and the other
for arbitration-the operators would
prevent a contract by negotiation
and then throw the entire matter in
to arbitration. Such arbitration
would be a long drawn out proceed
ing, deliberately made so by op-
erat ors, and during all of the long
weeks and months which would be
consumed by the arbitration the
miners would be compelled to con-
tinue to work at the present wholly
inadequate wages and under the
present unbearable working condi-
tions.
1T was entirely possible for the
miners and the operators to nego-
tiate a new agreement before the
first day of November if the op-
orators had been willing to meet the
miners in fair, honest effort to do
so.
But we find that the only remedy
left to us is a suspension of work,
to obtain better conditions and
wages. We did not want a strike
No one understands better what a
strike means than do the coal min
ers who have been through strikes
in the past. But when conditions be-
come unbearable, as they have in
this case, the coal miners must do
what the great American people
did when Germany became AFRO
giant and oppressive. They must as
scrt their manhood. We have no
fear as to the outcome. Nor do we
have any fear but that the American
public will see the justice of our
position and our action"
Class Gives Teacher