The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-14
CAMP PAIGN FOR
FUNDS TO BACK
MINE STRIKERS
Harrington Millions From IIli-
nOis Also May Come.
Kansas Due to Winter OF
Trouble in Coal Fields.
NERVOUS At THE STATE HOUSE
Officials Admit Temper of Men
Most Disturbed.
S'Free Men or SIaYes!" Cries
President Freeman.
NERVOUS At THE STATE HOUSE
Officials Admit Temper of Men
Most Disturbed.

Howat forces in the Pittsburg coal
fields found material support today
in their defiance of the Lewis order
suspend!ng district officers and direct
ing return of miners to their jobs. W.
p Freeman. president of the State
Federation of Labor. today issued
call to every union labor local in kan
sas to support the HoWat Organlza
tion in its fight against Lewis and the
industrial court. In the meantime
Howat forces in the coal fields refuse
to surrender to the officers named by
Lewis to take command in the district
While Freeman today began cam
paisn for funds for support OF thc
strikers, state officials saw possibility
Of many new developments in the
changing situation in the coal fields
Industrial court members Will confer
with Governor Allen when he returns
Saturday from a weeks trip to lake
states. In the meantime the court
iudges-with the exception OF Pres1d-
ing Judge Huggins-have been in con-
ference with clyde NJ. Reed, chairman n
of the public utilities commission, who
is considered to be in charge of the
governors policy during his absence.
Situation Looks Bad.
It isn't a bright and sunny outlook
in the coal fields. The order from
the international president has failed
to disturb the Pittsburg situation in
the least. Howat's neutenants have
reasserted that they will never return
to their jobs so long as their chief is
in the Cherokee county Jail for viola
tion of the industrial court acr No
new action has been taken by the in
dustrial court. None of the members
have gone to the strike district since
the workers closed every mine in the
region
President Freeman's appeal to the
Kansas unions is a call to arms of Op-
ponents of the labor court law He
asserts that he will carry his appeal
to every union and to every union
worker in the state.
Use Harrington Funds.
In addition to the support which is
expected to come to the miners thru
Freeman's call for funds, Frank Far
rington has made clear that Illinois
miners are willing to open thei4 war
chest for benefit of the Kansas strtk-
ers. Farrington's organization is re-
ported to have four million dollars in
reserve-nearIy ten times the reported
fight reserve of the International
Thus, in pinch, Farringtons organi-
zation could meet any financial issue
raised by President Lewis.
State officials today were he Cpeful
that a considerable number of mine
workers would return to their jobs.
They anticipate Improvement il the
situation next week.
Al the same uDles IIlOt LHGy arc
frankly looking at the situation. If
q number of the men return to their
jobs there will doubtless be interfer-
enCe from the men who are idle. In
event of trouble in the district both
Lewis and the operators would doubt
less call on Governor Allen for protec-
ton of men and property.
Trouble in Rcopening.
THE situation won't be as easy to
handle as it was two years ago" said
one state official who knows much of
conditions in the coal fields. The
temper of the men down there is a lot
different from the temper which was
met when the state went into the
fields in 1919. In my opinion reopen
ing or an attempt to reopen a few of
the mines at this time would cause
serious trouble. I believe it would re-
quire every national guardsman in the
state to preserve order-and it might
not be preserved even with force
Organized labor in the state will
apparently let developments in the
coal fields take care of themselves
They will go anead with the task of
providing a war fund for the Howat
men who must eat while they are idle.
With every avenue of relief thru the
international cut off, the strikers must
look for aid from volunteer sources
Such help has been promised by Free
man and Harrington.
Funds for the strikers will be col
lected thru William Howe, secretary
treasurer of the State Federation of
Labor in Topeka.
In state house circles today there
was a tendency to regard Freeman's
appeal as an attempt to maintain the
morale of the strikers. Labor leaders
however, were of the opinion that the
State Federation's pledge of support
would hold the strikers in line in spite
OF the Lewis order. The Freeman ap-
peal for funds went to labor locals to-
day, and raising of funds will begin
at once.