The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-10-24
GOVERNOR ROBERTSON
IS EITHER BL UFF|N {
OR HAS AN INTENSELY
LIVELY |MAG|N ATION
PRESIDENT OF UNITED MINE
NUNhEks SAYS UhLAHUMAS
CHIEF MUST BE A SECOND
JULES VERNE IN fLLuHIS
OF FANCY

Muskogee, Okla, Oct. 23.-After
summarizing the experience Of Kan
sas in mining coal with unpaid con-
victs which ne said has been any
thing but a profitable undertaking"
John Wilkinson, president of the Unit
ed Mine Workers of Oklahoma, Ark
ansas and Texas. in a statement issued
today declared that Governor Robert
sons proposal for Oklahoma to pro-
duce coal would be "under present con.
ditions OF state government an abso-
Lutte failure, from both an industrial
and financial viewpoint
Governor Robertson while in Mus
kogee last Tuesday declared he was
devising ways and means for the state
to take over its coal production in
the event that the fuel situation did
not improve between now and the
time the next legislature convened. In
the event conditions then are as bad
or worse than at present, Governor
Robertson said he would recommend
that the Legislature provide the state
Will eiubhOiANg W PiO-
duce coal for the relief of its suf-
ferlng citizens.
John n. Wilkinson, president Of dis
trict 81, United Mine Workers Of
America, comprising the states of Ok
lahoma, Arkansas and Texas, in a
statement issued here today declared
that Governor Robertson's proposal
Eos, ct !, la, Of hn 10
mines of Oklahoma as resource.
should the coal situation not improve
by the time the next legislature con-
vened, would under present condi-
tions OF state government be an ab-
solute failure from both an indus.
trial and financial viewpoint Mr.,
Wilkinson qualified his remarks with
quotations from the experiences Of
the state of Kansas with convict la
Dor in coal mines
wilkinson decares 1T is somewhat
amusing for a practical coal man to
read the incompetent comments Of
Governor Robertson in regard TO his
proposal for state operation OF coal
mines"
hFit ~ ilbN III NAlN itAbN VI bNiilS
such serious undertaking and that
| am in ful, accord with state and
federal ownership OF mines, | should
be inclined to say that state and
federal ownership of public utilities,
especially coal mines, was an absolu.
tely mistaken ideal" Wilknson's state
ment continues. However, we cannot
no nf cFa IN
operation of mines when we take as
basis the present state and federal
operation OF coal mines in the states
where they are now being so oper.
ated.
II believe in state and federal own
ership of coal mines when the peo~
pie of the state and country own and
control the state and country"
Wilkinson concludes his statement
as follows:
when you consider all OF the Leak
age and waste that would be en-
countered in state operation and all
of the political p!ums that would be
distributed as we'll as the fact that
the miners and operating officials
would have to receive decent salary,
unhesitatlngly say that under the
present conditions of state govern
mcnt that state operation of coal
mines in Oklahoma would be an alb
solute failure both from an industrial
and financial viewpoint.
From an Industrial viewpoint I am
absolutely positive that after the re-
ception the miners received at the
hands Of Governor Robertson during
their strike of last winter, to say the
(continued on Page Two)