Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-09-11
PRESIDENT REFUSES
TO REOPEN WAGE
AWARD FOR MINERS
Compares Broken Contract
to Scrap of Paper Treaty,
and Declares Workers
d, ''Vacation'' Is CamoufIage

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1O-Presi-
dent Wilson today refused to reopen
the anthracite wage award as re-
quested by anthracite miners, many
of whom are on an unauthorized
strike. go
The refusal was made in a letter to
the joint scale committee of miners
and operators.
The president reminded the min
ers that this government had fought
Germany and refused to recognize
Russia because those governments
could not keep their words. He in
dictated the same procedure would be
followed toward the miners who. he
said, failed to live up to their con-
tracts. tts
The president also recalled that he
had warned the miners not to strike
and that he had replied to threats
to do so with a statement that their
challenge would be accepted. He
said that they had gone on a ''vaca-
ton" notwithstanding this warning
and told them the vacation"
amounted to strike. -.,
Text OF Letter
The presidents letter after ac-
knowledging the miners telegram,
thanks the miner Representatives, on
the scale committee for acting
promptly in writing new wage
scale based on the award of the an
thracite coal commission. The let
ter continues: "You ask me to con-
vene the joint scale committee of
fS10t f<NpS
'the purpose of adjusting certain inc
qualities which you assert exist in
the award of the anthracite coal
commission. In that connection your
attention is called to a telegram
which I sent to Enoch Williams. and
ceived from them stating that the
anthracite miners would refrain
from working unless ] set aside the
award of the anthracite coal COM
mission on or before September 1.
In that telegram 1 said: If your
ton to refrain from working unless
set aside the award of the anthra-
cite coal commission on or before
September /. 1920. is intended as a
threat, you can rest assured that
your challenge will be accepted and
that 1.-the people of the United States
Will find some substitute fuel to tide
over until the real sentiment of the
anthracite mine workers can find eX-
preston and they are ready to abide
into"
Strike Just the same
Notwithstanding the plain warn
ing contained in that telegram. which
was given wide publicity, the major
ity, of the ANTHRACITE, coal miners,
following the. leadership of these
men, have refrained from working.
under the guise of taking a vaca-
ton. In doing so they have not de-
ce1ved any one, not even themselves.
When body of men collectively re-
frain from working by mutual I'M
is a strike. no matter what name
may be given to it. Our people have
fought great war and made untold
sacrifices to insure among other
things that a solemn agreement
shall not be considered a mere scrap
ter into no more friendly relations
with governments which boast of
readiness to violate treaties when
ever it suits their own convenience,
and under these circumstances we
could not look the world in the face
people or to our own conscience if
we yielded one iota to the men in
the anthracite coal fields who are
violating the contract so recently en-
tered into between themselves, the
coal operators and the government
Of the United States.
II appreciate the earnestness of
your efforts to get the men to re-
turn to work and commend your
stand in support of the obligation Of
your contract. which all men must
honor, but for reasons stated above
request to reconvene the joint scale
committee of miners and operators"