Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-07-31
President Wilson'S
Letter to Leader
of Mine Workers

President Wilson's message to IohI
L. Lewis, president of the United Min'
W orkers of America follows:
1t is with a feeling of profound
regret and sorrow that I have learned
that many of the members of your
organization, particularly in the state
of Illinois. have engaged in a 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 be accepted by you
as final and binding | am distressed
not only because your action in rezT
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
industrial aud agricultural activity,
which is the basis of the prosperity
which you III common with the bal
ance of our people have been enjoy
ing, but also, and and what is of
far more Importance, because the VIC
lation of the terms of your solemn
obligation impairs your good name,
destroys the confidence which is tho
basis of all mutual, agreement and
threatens the very foundation of fair
industrial relations No government,
no employer, no person having any
reputation to protect can afford to
enter into eontractural relations with
any organization which systemati
cally or repeatedly violates its con-
tracts.
The United Mine Workers of Amer
lea Is the largest single labor or
ganization in the United States. If
not in the world, but no organisa-
ton can long endure that sets up
its own strength as being superior
to its plishted faith or its duty 10
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 agreefents. 1t may
now make temporary gains by TAX
ing advantage of the dire necessities
of the balance of the people. through
the violation OF these contracts, but
what of the future? How can It
expect wage contracts with the en-
ployers to be continued, in the face
Of such violations, when normal con
ditions have been restored and the
country is free from the immediate
shortage of coal? How win IL he
able 10 resist the CLAIMS of the oper-
ators in the future to take advau-
tsge 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?
A mere statement of these ques-
lions ought to be sufficient to
awaken the mine workers 10 the
dangerous course' they are pursuing
and the injuries they are iniicting
upon themselves and the country at
large by the adoption of these IN
warranted strike policies.
In the consideration Of the nation
wide wage scale involving many diff
ferent classes of labor By the bitumi-
nous coal commission in the limited
time ct its disposal some inequali-
ties may have developed In the award
that ought to be corrected can
not. however recommend any con
sideration Of such inequalities as
long as the mine workers continue
to strike in violation of the terms
Of the award which they had ac-
Cepted as their wage agreement for
a definite length of time. 7 must
therefore insist that the striking
mine workers return 10 work there
by demonstrating their good faith
in keeping their contract. When !
have learned that they have thus
returned to work ] viii invite In the
scale>committee Of the operators ald
miners for the purpose of adjusting
any such inequalities as they may