The Washington times., 1920-07-31
TEXT OF PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE TO MINERS

President Wilson's message to th'
members OF the United Mine Worker;
of America. sent yesterday, follows:
1t Is with a feeling of profound
regret and sorrow that have learn
ed 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 agree
ment with the Government that the
findings of the commission would be
accepted by you as final and binding.
j am distressed not only because
your action in refusing to mine coal
upon the terms which you had ac-
cepted may result in great suffer-
ing in many households during the
coming winter and interfere with
the continuation of industrial ac-
tivity, which is the basis OF the
prosperity which you in common
with the balance of your people
have been enjoying, but also, and
what is of far more Importance to
you, because the violation OF the
terms OF your solemn obligation
impairs your own good name, de-
basis of all mutual agreements, and
threatens the very foundation OF
fair industrial relations. No gov
ernment, no employer, no person
having any reputation to protect
can afford to enter into contractual
relations with any organization
that repeatedly or systematically
violates IT'S contracts.
ADJ
The United Mine Workers OF
America is the largest single labor
organization in the United States,
il not in the world, but no organ
ization can long endure that sets
up its own strength as being
superior to its plighted faith or it's
duty to society at large. 1t has
in the past built up an enviable
reputation for abiding by it's con-
tracts, which has been one of it's
most valuable assets in making
wage agreements.
1t may now make temporary
gains by taking advantage OF the
dire necessities of the balance of
the people through the viola
tion of these contracts, but
what of the future? How can 1t
expect wage contracts with the
employers to be continued, in the
face of such violations, when
normal conditions have been re-
stored and the country is free from
the fear of immediate shortage of
coal? How will it be able to re-
sist the claims of the operators in
the future who take advantage 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 produc-
tion?
A mere statement OF these ques-'
tions ought to be sufficient to
awaken the mine workers to the
dangerous course they are pursu-
ing and the injuries they are in
fiicting upon themselves and the
country at large by the adoption
of these unwarranted strike pol
icies.
ADMITS SOME INEQUALITIES"
In the consideration of the ma
many different classes OF labor by
the BituminouS coal commission
in the limited time at its disposal
some inequalities may have de-
veloped in the award that ought
to be corrected. / cannot, however.
recommend any consideration OF
such inequalities as long as the
mine workers continue on strike
in violation of the terms OF the
award which they had accepted as
their wage agreement for a def
mite length of time.
l must therefore insist that the
striking mine workers return to
work, thereby demonstrating their
good faith in keeping their con-
tract When l have learned that
they have thus returned to work,
I will invite the scale committees
of the operators and miners to re-
convene for the purpose Of adjust
ing any such inequalities as they