Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-01-27
KANSAS MINERS
STRIKE AGAINST
new LABOR ACT
State Now Operating
Under Industrial Court
Following Walkout

TOPEKA, Kan, Jan. 27.-Is Kan
sas pointing the way for the nation
| in the solution of industrial prob
lens? This state is now operating
under new industrial court, estab-
lished by the legislature called in
special session for that purpose by
Governor Allen following the nation.
wide coal strike, which Governor AL
len broke in this state by securing
volunteers to dig coal.
There has been hard fight against
the bill from the ranks of labor. and
yesterday 400 miners struck in pro-
test in the Pittsburgh district, with
others going out at Franklin and
Dunkirk.
With the enactment of this law
IN Kansas the recent coal strike.
which caused widespread suffering
among thousands who had no part in
the issue and were caught between
the warning forces as "innocent by
standers," has brought about a law
designed primarily to protect the pub
lie from other such dangers and at
the same time a statute that gives
both capital and labor ample protec-
| ton.
Governor Allen saw the need of
this sort of legislation when he per-
sonally investigated the conditions
surrounding the coal strike He
sensed the public demand for cure
and the members of the legislature
came to the special session convinced
almost unanimously, of the justice
in the governors plan.
Believe 1t Solution.
The Industrial court bill was given
the most careful consideration and
after their labors, the legislators feel
that they have placed law upon the
statute books that will prove effective
IN dealing with industrial disputes
and they hope to see it become a ma
tlonal measure of prevention of la
Dor troubles.
The new law contains drastic anti
strike provisions, such as jail terms
and heavy fines.
Frank P. Walsh, Kansas City at
torney and former joint chairman of
the War Labor Board, in a fve-hour
speech, presented labor's case
against the bill.
There is no middle ground on this
measure" he declared. either it is
a good bill or bad bill We do not
want, and you do not want a law
which says that men working in one
factory are restrained from leaving
that factory and taking another and
better job. This bill does that, or
places it in the power of the So
called industrial court to do it."
Walsh regards the bill as an ''en-
tering wedge and foresees, if it
becomes law, similar legislation in
many other states, binding labor not
TO strike. 1t is more dangerous than
the Cummins anti-strike provisions
in the pending railroad legislation in
congress, he thinks, because it affects
all labor, while the railroad legisla-
ton refers only to railroad labor.
Divine Unrest"
Walsh characterized labor unrest
as "divine unrest" He declared that
only the loyalty of labor kept pro-
duction going and won the war. The
struggle, he declared, is not between
those who have and those who have
not" but it is struggle between
''those who produce and those who
want to live by exploiting those who
produce"
Kansas generally has been friendly
to organized labor But the opera
tions of the |. W. W. have caused
such feeling of hysteria that the
labor unions have a hard fight on
their hands
Early consideration by the house
resulted in the fve-year Jail penalty
for striking being reduced to two
| years.
WEATHER FORECAST