The Washington herald., 1920-04-21
Many Unionists Unwilling
To Join Howatt in Defy
ing Kansas Court.
COURT TEST PLANNED
Thousands Idle as Protest
Governor Prepares to
Force Issue.

IHe SeCOU0 OF IHe SeIteS lotft 0P-
pear in an early issne of The
Washington Herald.
tBy n stan Correspondent)
Kansas City. April 2O.-shall the
government of all the people or an
organization of a small minority
rule?
More and more each day in Kan
sas that is the issue being forced
to the fore In the revolt of the
miners. under the leadership of AL
exander Howatt. president of Dis
trict IA, United Mine Workers of
America. against the Kansas In
dustrial Court law.
Howatt was confined in a Kansas
jail for open defiance of the law to
end strikes and lockouts. In Jail
also were some of his fellow Off
GERS. Howatt and his lieutenants
bluntly refused to appear as wit
nesses before the industrial court,
and were sentenced to Jail by Judge
Curran of the Crawford County
District Court. They have been re-
leased on bail.
Friends Back Howatt.
Friends of Howatt are standing
squarely behind him. Opposition
to sympathy strike by conserva-
fiya rpiparo fayarI,- 6~l.E. A.
law through the courts TO deter
mine the constitutionality of this
legal departure in adjusting indus
trial disputes. could not prevent
the strike. Practically every mine
in the field is closed. Strikers are
holding big demonstrations for
Howat in all the mining communi-
ties.
Something of the feeling-of the
miners was reflected at Girard a few
days ago. The impressiveness of
the Smass of miners was so strong
that q. Clint Webb. sheriff of Craw-
ford County. permitted Howatt to
go outside the fail and talk to his
followers. In his address he referred
to Gov. Allen as skunk" a
brute" and a "tyrant." and de-
clared the Court of Industrial Rela-
tions would not be recognized.
Starts Custer Suit.
Next day the State brought custer
proceedings in the Supreme Court
malfeasance and nonfeasance in
office. The States highest tribunal
will pass on application for his inn
mediate suspension
''The time has not arrived when the
State-laws can be defied." Richard j.
Hopkins. attorney general, says
The Industrial Court Law Is on the
statute books. and persons violating
it will be prosecuted. Until the
courts declare the law invalid no
man or set of men have any right
permitting them t. defy it"
Hopkins IS recognized as being
friendly to the cause of labor. OF
the many disputes filed with the
Industrial Court he appears as the
States attorney for the complaining
unions. No man in Kansas is more
bitterly hated by the Employers As
sociation than the attorney general
For years he has been a leader in
legislative battles favoring legisla-
tion for greater public ownership
rights. and laws designed to better
conditions of workingmen and wom-
en-. But Hopkins sincerely is ad-
vocating the Industrial Court.
Miners willing to Testify.
when a law violation is winked
at representative government will
die" Hopkins continues. ITO permit
violations of the Industrial Cour,
law is no different in principle to
permitting man to take a gun and
go out and kill his fellows, and turn
him loose because he asserts the
statutes against homicide are not
constitutional. When man or a
set of men put themselves out as
stronger than the laws of a repre-
sentative commonwealth, they draw
the line against organized society,
and must suffer. Otherwise anarchy
would reign"
The three members of the Indus
trial Court say they are in Pitts
burg to stay until the strike situa
tion is adjusted. Miners who have
answered the sympathy strike for
Howatt are refusing in large num-
bers to defy the court and are ap-
pearing as witnesses and telling of
lheli grievances.
Call Loan system Unfair.
An illustration of the Injustice
done the miners by the operators
has been uncovered by the court in
inquiring into the loan system in
vogue. When miners draw the pay
due them before pay day they re-
ceive 90-cents on each dollar, and
no loan is made on wages not earn
ed. The court announced that this
rate totalled $50 per cent interest
per annum, and this on money AL
ready earned.
1t is to remedy such conditions as
these that the court was created.
On the other hand. miners have told
the court about being called on
strikes by their officers without ever
discovering why they were called
out and production stopped. This
is an illustration of the other side
of tie controversy the court pro-
poses to stop.
Howntt's Prestige Mt stake.
Frankly Howatt's friends and his
enemies agree on one think. That is
that the leaders prestige is at stake.
III Howatt can successfully defy the
state, and the miners stay with him
throughout his defiance, he will re-
gain his former hold among them
There is no doubt that he lost much
prestige when he backed down from
his radical stand during the coal
strike and Kept out of jail by calling
the strike off in his district to pre-
vent Federal Judge Anderson SEN
fencing him to Jail Howatts s
friends recognize that another back
down means his end as a leader.
The more conservative miners are
against him already, but the for