The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-03-19
STRIKE WORRIES
HEADS OF UNIONS
GOMPERS TOLD EMPHATlcALLY
THAT INJUNCTION WILL STAND
UNTIL STRIKE CALLED OFF
STATEMENT IS CONCLUSIVE
laborites Hold Three Conferences
With Attorney General, but no
Headway Is Made.-Train Serv-
ice Is Slightly Curtailed

Washington, Nov. S.-Eleventh-hour
efforts by Samuel Gompers to settle
the coal strike were met last night by
emphatic declaration from the govern
ment that injunction proceedings
would be dismissed the instant the
strike order was withdrawn-and not
before.
The final decision was given to Mr..
Gompers, heading delegation of high
labor officials, at the close of the
third conference of the day with At
torney General Palmer, and after Mr..
Gompers had talked over the telephone
with John L. Lewis, acting head of
the United Mine Workers of America,
at Indianapolis.
The aged president of the American
Federation of Labor, fighting hard to
have the government drop its injunc-
ton suit set for hearing today plain
ly showed that he was under a severe
strain as he left the department of
Justice, bluntly refusing, on his way
out, to say one word about the con-
ference or hope of ending the strike
before the United States could press
Its suit against the officers of the
miners organization. Attorney Cen
eral Palmer, to whom Mr.. Gompers
referred all requests for all infOrma-
ton, refused to see newspaper men. |
"Mr. Palmer wishes me to say that he |
will have no statement tonight other |
than that he made as he left the cab
met meeting" his secretary an
nounced.
There were only Is words in the
statement Mr. Palmer dictated to |
newspaper men as he left the White
House after the cabinet meeting and
an earlier conference with President
Wilson.
"The injunction proceedings against
the coal miners leaders will be dis
missed the instant the strike order is
recalled" the attorney general said,
and his utterance stood last night as
the final word from the government on
the eve of what may prove the begin
ming, today of the greatest labor union
litigation in the history of the coun-
Try.
Through the day, although it was on
the lips of all official Washington that
the government and the miners were
considering new plans for ending the
struggle without further resort to law,
the feeling grew that hearing on the
restraining order, set for this morn
ing In the federal court before Judge
Anderson at indianapolis, would be
postponed without prejudice to either
side"
The department of justice will not 3,
ask for pOstponement, but whether ,
It might oppose the request if miners ,
asked for more time, officials declined
to say. J
Chicago, Nov. S.-As the first week !
of the soft coal strike ended last !
night with production generally para ]
lyzed in union mines, transportation 4
affected and virtual wartime fuel reg 1
ulations in force, both operators and 4
miners awaited developments in the 4
injunction proceedings. i
The seventh day of the strike wit i
messed little change in. the general i
situation. About 425,O00 union miners i
remained ON strike, although coal OPP 4
orators of West Virginia, where A \
1nion mines were reported in opera +
ion Yesterday, and Colorado reported r
increased production. Miners leaders 4
lenied the West Virginia operators \
.laims and said only few mines were \
working on the open shop basis. Near 4
v normal production continued in the 4
lon-union fields of West Virginia and X
and in union mines Of r
Utah and some parts of New Mexico, 4
s well as in western Kentucky. \
Two thousand Ignite miners In X
gorth Dakota planned to strike this r.
corning. x
No further reduction in train service X
s begun Thursday in the middle west
nder authorization -of the railroad
took place yesterday
ut in railroad circles it was consid- RI
red likely that further suspension m,
,ould be ordered next week unless ~
here was a rift in the strike cloud. r.
Bunkering Of foreign owned ships pe
, New York proceeded yesterday, the a.,
rder from Washington suspending M
uch privileges not having been served. al
was said that the order would not ~,
ave any disastrous effects. as foreign -
lips could bring back coal enough for m
round trip or take on fuel at Hall Tb
x. tn,