The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-04
Lewis Expected to Send Union
ArbiterS to Intervene.
Convention Not Expected to
Take Further Action.
COAL MINE TIE UP COMPLETE
All Mines Are Idle and Pits
Are Being Flooded.
"Fight to Finish" While Howat
Serves Jail Term.

Indianapolis. Oct. 4.-The executive
board of the United Mine Workers
may take action to bring to a halt the
strike in the Kansas coal fields fol-
lowing the convention now in session
here. It was learned today.
But no further action regarding the
situation IN the Cherokee district is ex-
pected from the convention itself.
Whether the board Will convene imme-
diately following the convention or at
later date has not been determined.
HoWat Is Repudiated.
The union delegates in session here
have repudiated the administration OF
Alexander Howat and have authorized
their international officials to proceed
with test suit of the Kansas indus
trial court law and high union Off
cials doubt if they would listen to fur
ther discussion of the Kansas affair as
they are impatient to get home"
It is considered doubtful that John
L. Lewis, international president, will
go to Kansas personally to intervene
in the strike. but he may send a COM
mittee with full authority to deal with
the situation
Kansas Tie-Up Complete.
Pittsburg, Kan, Oct 4.-CompIete
idleness in the Kansas coal fields pre-
vailed again today, according to full
reports to Pittsburg.
A committee of bumpers from a
mine of the Western Coal and Mining
company at Franklin appeared today
at the union headquarters and asked
specific instructions from John Flem-
ing, acting president, as to quitting
work. Resolutions adopted at a mass
meeting of miners at Franklin Sunday
called upon the bumpers to quit work.
suspension of work by them wou.d
completely close down the coal mines
Fleming had not answered the men
4eaElsr. this afternoon.
! The Kansas miners are refratufrg
| from work in protest against the Inn
prisonment- of their president Alex
Howat, and August Dorchy, vice presi-
dent, in the jail at Columbus, for vio-
lation of the Kansas industrial court
( law.
Ready to Force Strike.
1T will cost the state of Kansas a
thousand dollars a ton to mine COAL"
miners leaders said at noon today as
| they viewed with satisfaction the COM
plete tieup Of the coal industry in this
state.
Not even a "dinky hole" with its
wagon load or two of coal a day was
being worked. Water was flooding the
| big workings as the strike to a fin
| ish" in support of Alexander Howat
and August Dorchy continued.
| At the miners headquarters. a thou
march on any mine which resumed
operations, but no such action was
necessary. There were no reports of
violence or disorder thraout the dis
trict.
No Court Action Yet.
Thus far the Kansas industrial court
has taken no action to deal with the
strike. With its powerful machinery
designed to prevent just such a crisis
as has already occurred. the court
seemingly is marking time to see what
John L. Lewis and the international
organization of the miners will do in
the emergency. Howat's forces have
defied both Lewis and the courts to
step in and end the strike while Howat
is in Jail.
| Tomorrow is visiting day at the Jail
and John Fleming and his assistants
who are carrying on" while their
leaders are behind the bars. will go
to Columbus and confer with Howat
and Dorchy. Only on Wednesdays
viii Howat and Dorchy be permitted
to see visitors, according to the Jail
ruling.