Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-31
LEWIS READINESS
TO CANCEL STRIKE
PLEASES OFFICIALS
Presidents Appeal to Miners
Gets Quick Response
From Their Chief.

Satisfaction was expressed today by
White House officials over the an
nouncement by John l.. Lewis. preei-
dent of the United Mine Workers Of
America. that he would order strik-
ing mine laborers in Illinois and In
diana to return to work. Mr.. Lewis
statement followed receipt at Indian
apolis last night of a telegram from
President Wilson appealing TO the
strikers to resume work pending ad-
justment of their wage demands.
The President addressed his tele-
gram to The United Mine Workers.
of which the strikers are members.
He promised that If the men declared
truce he would invite the joint scale
committee of operators and miners
to meet for the purpose of adjusting
Inequalities which may exist in the
present wage scale. The President
added. however. that he could not
recommend such step while the
miners were idle. Mr.. wilson's ap-
peal was issued after he had studied
"A report from Secretary of Labor VIII
son. setting forth the coal situation
in Illinois and Indiana, where large
share of the bituminous miners have
shut down IS result of the strike.
The Presidents telegram follows;
1T is with a feeling of profound
regret and sorrow that have learned
that many OF the members of your
organization, particularly in the state
of Illinois. have engaged in strike
in violation of the terms of the award
OF the bituminous coal commission
and your agreement with the govern
ment that the findings Of the COM
mission would he accepted by you
as final and binding. | am distressed,
not only because your action in re-
fusing TO mine coal upon the terms
which you had accepted may result
in great suffering in many house
holds during the coming winter and
interfere with the continuation OF in
dustrial and agricultural ACTIVITY,
which is the basis of the prosperity
which you in common with the bal
ance of our people have been enjoy
ing. but also and what is of far more
importance because the violation OF
the terms of your solemn obligation
impairS your good name, destroys the
confidence which is the basis OF all
mutual agreement, and threatens the
very foundation of fair industrial re-
lations. No government, no employer,
no person having any reputation 10
protect can afford to enter into con-
tractual relation with any organlza-
ton which Systematically or re-
peatedly violates its contracts
THE United Mine Workers or
America is the largest single labor
organization in the United states. IL
not in the world, but no organization
can long endure that sets up its own
strength as being superior to its
Dlighted faith or its duty to society
at large. 1t has in the past built up an
enviable reputation for abiding by its
contracts. which has been one of its
most valuable assets in making wage
agreements. 1t may now make tempo
rary gains by taking advantage of
the dire necessities of the balance OF
the people through the violation of
these contracts, but what of the fu-
ture?
Miners Must Return.
How can il expect wage contracts
with the employers to be continued,
in the face of such violations, when
normal conditions have been restored
and the country is free from the i'm
mediate shortage of coal? How will
it be able to resist the claims of the
operators in the future to take adj
vantage of the precedent which the
miners have established. and decrease
wage rates in the middle of a wage
contract under the plea that they are
unable to sell the coal. at the then
existing cost of production? mere
statement of these questions ought to
be sufficient to awaken the mine
workers to the dangerous course they
are pursuing and the injuries they are
inf1icting upon themselves and the
country at large by the adoption of
these unwarranted strike policies.
I'm the consideration of the nation
wide wage scale involving many diff
ferent classes of labor by the btu
minous coal commission in the limited
time at it's disposal some inequalities
may have developed in the award
that ought to be corrected. | cannot,
however, recommend any considera-
ton of such inequalities as long as
the mine workers continue on strike
in violation of the terms of the award
which they accepted as their wage
agreement for a definite length of
time. / must, therefore. insist that
the striking mine workers return to
work, thereby demonstrating their
good faith in keeping their contract.
When | have learned that they have
thus returned to work i will invite in
the scale committee of the operators
and miners for the purpose of adjust
ing any such inequalities as they may
mutually agree should be adjusted"