Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-09-16
WILSON REFUSES
MINERS REQUEST
PRESIDENT WILL NOT REOPEN
ANTHRACITE WAGE
FOR MINERS
RECALLS PREVIOUS WARNING
Do-v-es To Reconvene The Joint
Scales Committee OF Miners
And Operators

Washington.-Pres Wilson re
fused to reopen the anthracite wage
award as requested by anthracite
miners, many of whom are on an I'M
authorized strike.
The refusal was made in a letter TO
the Joint scale committee of miners
and operators.
The president reminded the miners
that this government had fought Ger
many and had refused to recognize
Russia because those governments
could not keep their words. He in
dicated the same procedure would be
followed toward the miners who, he
said, failed to live up to their con-
tracts.
The president also recalled that he
had warned the miners not to strike
and that he had replied to threats
to do so with statement that their
challenge would be accepted. He said
that they had gone on vacation
Notwithstanding this warning and told
them the vacation" amounted to a
strike.
The presidents letter, after ac-
knowledging the miners telegram,
thanks the miners representatives on
the scale committee for acting prompt
ly in writing new wage scale based
on the award of the anthracite coal
commission. The letter continues:
"You ask me to convene the joint
scale committee of anthracite opera
tors and miners for the purpose of
adjusting certain inequalities which
you assert exist nj the award of the
anthracite coal commission. In that
connection your attention is called to
telegram which / sent to Enoch Will
liams and others in reply to tele-
gram l received from them stating
that the anthraciet miners would re-
frain from working unless | set aside
the award of the anthracite coal COM
mission on or before September l. In
that telegram l said: If your COM
munication declaring your intention
to refrain from working unless l set
aside the award of the anthracite coal
commission on or before September 1,
1920. is intended as threat, you can
rest assured that your challenge will
be accepted and that the people OF
the United States will find some cut
stitute fuel to tide osref until the real
fCsfnent OF the anthracite mine
workers can find expression and they
are ready to abide by the obligations
they have entered into
Notwithstanding the plain warn
ing contained in that telegram, which
was given VIDE publicity, the majority
of the anthracite coal miners, follow
ing the leadership of these men, have
refrained from working, under the
guise of taking a vacation. In doing
SO they have not deceived anyone, not
even themselves. When a body OF men
collectively refrain from working by
mutual understanding, however arriv-
ed at, it is a strike, no matter what
name may be given to it. Our people
have fought great war and made I'M
told sacrifices to insure among other
things that a solemn agreement snail
not be considered a mere scrap OF pa
per. We have declined to entr einto
no more friendly relations with gov
ernments which boast of readiness to
violate treaties whenever it suits
their own convenience, and under
these circumstances we could not look
the world in the face or justify our
action to our own people or to our
own conscience if we yielded one lota
to the men in the anthracite coal
fields who are violating hte contract
SO recently entered into between
themselves, the coal operators and the
government of the United States.
81 appreciate the earnestness of
your efforts to get the men to return
to work and comment your stand IN
support of the obligation of your con-
tract. which all men must honor but
for reasons statde above ! regret that
cannot grant your request to recon
vene the joint scale committee Of min
ers and operators"