The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-01-05
WILSONSPLANTO
SETTLE TROUBLE
Detailed Report by Labor
Leaders, Who Charge Gov
ernment With UnfairnesS.

Columbus, O.. Jan. 81 N. S)-
while protesting In our hearts
against what we believed to be the
unjust attitude of the government,
we decided to submit to the newt
able" declared John l.. Lewis, act
ing president, and William Green.
secretary treasurer, in their joint
report, submitted here today TO the
recess convention OF the United
Mine Workers of America. The re-
port, which dealt In chronological
order, with developments since the
adoption of the miners wage scale
demands at Cleveland o., last Sep
tember, was read by Secretary
Treasurer Green.
The joint report detailed the plan
proposed by President Wilson as a
basis of settlement for the recent ma
tional coal strike and Informed the
convention delegates as to the full
scope and meaning of the presidents
proposal together with the reasons
why the miners leaders accepted IT,
"The course which your committee
and the officers of the organization
were directed to follow by the adop-
tion of the scale committees report
at the Cleveland convention, was
based on the assumption Tint wo had
both the moral and legal right to en-
force our demands. In case of dis
agreement between the miners and
operators, by ceasing work on Nov,
L." said the joint report.
mo one could foresee the turn events
have taken and tho necessity In meet
ing the new and unexpected situations
which have arisen, II has been found
quite impossible to follow the rigid and
nnoxible policy laid down by the Cleve-
land convention. We have been forced
to adjust ourselves to n changed sltun
ton not contemplated or considered
when the original plans and policies
siThe Levcr INV. wartime measurs. Il
still In effect. Under It's provisions the
/ government exerclsq6 it's wartimtfa W.
crs and was fully supported by ~ -
dicial. military legislative and eNecB.
tive branches of the government
''The court construed the Lever law
10 mean that where two men agreed to
quit mining coal they were guilty of n
conspiracy and subject TO punishment
prescribed by the Lever law
1--WE are confident that It was not
generally lnlderstods by our member
ship that these wartime measures were
stll in effect or that the Lever law
denied our membership the right "a
strike, or applied to them IN any way
whatsoever.
1--WE have endcavored to meet the
most trying situations ever presented
TO the officers OF IA labor organization
In broad-minded. conservative way
We could not afford at any time 10
| substitute feeling for Judgment whor
! our reasoning powers dictated right
course of action
eve would be un1t to lead you. OF
| to act for YOU II we did not decide in
a crisis to follow policy which our
best Judgment convinced us could best
| protect the Interests of our vust mem
bership and those dependent upon them.
| We have made eur decisions. based
| upon existing circumstances and fncta.
| We are confident that time win vindi-
cate our every act rnG Justify the
course we have pursued"
Touching upon the presidents coal
commission. the report aaid
I'VE entortnin high hopes that the
decisions and report Of the presidents
commission viii he 30 fair ana Just ns
TO meet with general approval among
our membership