The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-09-11
ANTHRACITE
WORKERS IN
new STRIKE
Movement To Close Down
Mines Follows Refusal of
President to Reopen Wage
Hearings.
ISSUE IS CLEAN-CUT
(By Associated Press)

SCRANTON, Pa, Sept. 1.-The
first effect Of President Wilson's re-
fusal to have the scale committee of
miners and operators reopen the wage
agreement signed last week came to-
day when the Coal Brook collieries at
Carbondale, the largest operation in
this region of the Hudson Coal COM
pany, closed down.
HAZELTON, Pa, Sept. 1.-Every
colliery in the Hazelton district was
idle today. The Coleraine colliery was
the last to suspend after holding out
since the miners started to leave the
mines more than week ago as the
result of dissatisfaction with the wage
award.
SCRANTON, Pa, Sept. 11.-Acting
President John Collins, District No. l,
United Mine Workers, today issued a
circular urging all union men to re-
turn to work, declaring that such ac-
tion will the uicker bring about con-
sideration by the coal companies of
any grievances.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-THE pres
ident'S telegram was sent to Philip
Murray, John Collins, Thomas Ken
nedy and c. J. Molden, at Scranton,
Penn, and said
II am in receipt Of your telegram
of September informing me that you
have written the award of the anthra-
cite coal commission into an agree
ment with the anthracite operators,
despite the fact that you are con-
vinced that the award in itself does
not provide that measure of justice
to which you believe your people are
entitled.
Il sincerely thank you for the
promptness with which you have act
ed, Notwithstanding your disappoint-
ment. 1t is policy of that kind, car
ried into effect by the rank and file
of the workers, that has made for the
steady improvement of the conditions
of the anthracite miners in recent
years, and which lays the foundation
for still further progress.
You ask me to convene the joint
scale committee of anthracite operat-
ors and miners for the purpose of ad-
justing certain inequalities which you
assert exist in the award of the anth-
racite coal commission.
''In that connection your attention
is called to telegram which l sent to
Enoch Williams and others in reply
to a telegram I received from them
stating that the anthracite miners
would refrain from working unless l
set aside the award of the anthracite
coal commission on or before Sept l."
1t Is a Strike Anyway.
The president quoted from his mes
sage, in which he declared that if the
communication was intended as a
threat the miners could rest assured
the challenge would be accepted.
Notwithstanding the plain warning
contained in that telegram, which was
given wide publicity" the presidents
message contained, the majority or
the anthracite coal moners, following
leadership in these men, have refused
from work under the guise of taking
a vacation. In doing so they have not
deceived anyone, not even themselves.
when a body of men collectively
refrain from working by mutual un-
derstanding, however arrived at, it is
strike, no matter what name may be
given to it. Our people have fought a
great war and made untold sacrifices
to insure among other things that a
solemn agreement shall not be con-
sidered as mere scrap of paper"