Evening star., 1920-07-27
|4,9O MINERS OUT
IN CLINTON FIELDS
Illinois Leader Says Men and
Operators Can "Settle
Own Disputes"

| INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, July 27.@Off-
cials of the United Mine Workers Of
America today continued their close
scrutiny of news dispatches regarding
the strike which has closed all but a
few of the bituminous mines in Illinois
and which was spread into Indiana, clos
ing approximately half the mines in this
state. No action was taken by the ma
tonal officers. however.
Reports received from mining COM
munities in Indiana this morning indicat-
ed that mines were closed at Clinton,
Bicknell. Terre Haute, Linton and
Jasonville. The twenty-five mines in
the Clinton field were reported to be
completely closed with $500 miners
idle.
The executive board of the United
NINE Workers continued in session to-
DAY. At meeting yesterday the strike
situation was not discussed, according
to President John l.. Lewis.
Mr.. Lewis still had under consdera-
llon this morning a request made by
Ed Stewart, president of district No.
IL, United Mine Workers, for con-
ference to be called Immediately between
mlnters and operators to effect an agree
day men employed in the Mines
Want Lewis to Keep Hands on.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, July 27.-Presi- :
dent harrington Of the Illinois
miners union issued a statement say
ing:
"If Mr.. Lewis will keep his hands
on and the government will permit it,
the operators and miners in this state
can get together and within a few
Nhours effect satisfactory agree
ment"
"The statement alleged to have been
made by International President
Lewis to the effect that he would call
iVa nf oth <y-;o ~, fciI In
OF Illinois, if the Illinois operators
made any concessions to the Illinois
miners" said Mr.. Farrington's state
ment, can have only one effect and
that will be that every powerful in
terest in the country, as well as gov
ernment influences. win combine and
bring pressure to bear upon Illinois
operators to prevent their making
any concessions.
There will be no necessity for Mr..
Lewis to call strike. as threatened.
as the operators in the competing dis
tricts will no doubt, make the same
concessions made by the Illinois
operators. and the necessity for a
strike will thus be avoided and the
country assured of a steady coal pro-
duction during the winter.
| Every concession asked can be
granted without increasing the pres
ent price paid by the public for coal.
The only thing needed to straighten
out the trouble is for the federal gov
! ernment to permit the Illinois miners
and operators to get together"
Report on West Virginia.
CHARLESTON, w. Va, July 81
| Conditions in the Guyan valley coal
| field of West Virginia, and incidents
leading up to the march of armed
miners toward that region in Sep
tember, 1919. are reviewed in the re-
| port Of Maj. T. B. Davis. acting adju-
| tanf ppnarq1 Whn N cd N a 10
the inquiry by Gov. Cornwell. The
report was made public today.
Efforts of United Mine Workers
members of district II to unionize
| the Guyan field, resulted in the
| march of miners into Boone country
toward Logan, according to the re-
port. The major charged that certain
activities of union officials and COM
! munications sent out from district II
| headquarters tended to start the
state officials. was for the purpose
of forcing organization upon the
| Guyan miners"
Hundreds in March.
| Several hundred miners from the
union fields of southern West Vir-
| ginia participated in the march,
! which ended in Boone county, after
state executives and union officials
[! had appealed to the men to abandon
the idea of invading Logan county.
! Coal operators of the valley do not
| employ armed guards. as has been
| charged, but they are paying monthly,
| through their association, to the sher-
| iff, a sum of money which is used to
pay certain deputies, the report said.
! This practice is condemned by the
ma jor.
| DECATUR. Ill, July 27.-Drivers
! and day workers in the two Decatur
| mines quit work yesterday as a result
| of the strike that is sDreadipg through
the state. Three hundred and sew
| enty-five miners. who have been pro-
| ducing about 900 tons of coal daily,
| are thrown out of work by this move.
PITTSBURG, Kan, July 27.-Half
the miners in the Kansas coal fields,
totaling 5000, are on strike. Alex
ander Howat. president of the Kansas
/ Mine Union, said yesterday that the
strike, which began Saturday, is a
protest against the deduction OF fines
from the pay of miners for refusal to
! work Saturdays.