The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-01-10
Revelation of His Drastic Plan
to Settle the Coal
Strike
WOULD HAVE BROUGHT
THE ARMY INTO USE
He Would Have Seized Mines
and Operated Them Under
Military Control

New York, Jan. 5.-Hitherto un-
published details of the drastic plan
President Roosevelt had decided to
adopt to settle the anthracite strike
of 1902. said to have been known
only to two members of his cabinet
and a few persons who. were to take
part. n it's execution appear in the
fifth installment Of the colonel's own
I letters edited by Joseph Rucklin Bish-
OPP in the January issue Of Scribner's
Magazine. The article also gives some
intimate sidelights on Rooseve1ts at
tftude toward union labor.
After 20 persons had been killed
and about 40 injured during the riot
ing in the coal fields and the approach
OF winter brought with it the pros
pect OF a nationwide fuel famine,
the mayors of large cities and govern
erssof several States appealed to the
president, Mr. Bishops says, to inter
fere in the interest of the public well
fare and safety. According to his
Diographer, Mr.. Roosevelt had de-
cided. in case the operators persisted
N their refusal to accept a commits
sion.; ITO assume powers which the
constitution did not specifically give
: him. and to use the United States
army to suppress all violence and dis
order.
Writing to Robert Bacon on Octob-
er S, 1902, shortly after conference
in Washington of the mine operators
and the strike leader, the late John
Alitchell.Iin futile effort to settle
tile trouble By the appointment Of
commission Of investigation or arbi-
tra1ions he said:
The situation is bad, especially be-
cause it IS possible it may grow in
dniteIy worse. IF when the severe
weather comes on there is a coal fam
Id parts of our great cities especially.
and / fear there will be fuel riots Of
as bad a type as any bread riots we
have ever seen OF course once the
fioting has begun. once there is q re-
Sort to mob violence. the only thing
to do is to maintain order. It is a
dreadful thing to be brought face to
face with necessity Of taking meas
ures, however unavoidable, which will
mean the death Of men who have been
naaddened by want or suffering
In a letter to Senator Lodge he
wrote that he was feeling his way
TO solve the difficulty and was deter
mined not to be drawn into any
violent step which would bring re-
action and disaster afterward.' At an
other time, he said: Most emphati-
ea1ly / shall not compromise with
1awlessness. I have been told on ex-
eelient authority, that the disorder
has been very great and Of an evil
kind. On equall., good authority.
am told the exact contrary. shall
speedily find out for myself. ! stand
against socialism; against anarchic
disorder"
Colonel Roosevelt's drastic" plan
Of action which Mr.. Bishop says he
makes public with the late presidents
permission and authority, included MS
appointment of an investigating or
arbitrary commission without regard
TO whether or not the operators asked
for it or agreed to abide by it's decis-
ions. He asked ex-President Cleve-
commission, if he would accept a
place on it, and. according to Mr.
Bishop, Mt Cleveland replied IA
yorably.
This commission was only part Of
the presidents plan," says Mr.. Bish-
op. The investigation which it was
to conduct would take time. In order
suned as speedily as possible. the
president consulted with Senator Quay
who was all-powerful in Pennsylvania
politics, and was assured By him that
whenever the president desired him
to do SO he would have the governor
of the State notify the president that
he could not keep order in the coal re-
gion and needed federal interference,
1.-THE president then informed Major
of federal interference he wished to
send him to the coal regions with the
regular army troops with instructions
to act as receiver of the mines. take
full charge. put down all violence. an6
disregard any orders from the opera
tors. He asked the general, if. in case
the operators went to court and haC
a writ served on him. would he do as
was done under Lincoln. simply sent
the writ on to the president? After
a little thought the general replied
that he would. Roosevelt said: Al
right. will send YOU
President Roosevelt. it was said
had all preparations made for startins
the troops within half an hour afte,
the request for federal aid was re-
ceived The plan was not executed
Mr. Bishop says. because at the las
moment the operators changed from
and consented to the appointment o
a commission. Whether Or not the,
got wind of the presidents purpost
has never been revealed. but some
powerful influence was responsible fo
their sudden reversal