Great Falls tribune., 1921-11-02


learned that the injunction was
officials to regard discontinua1
ing existing wage agreements.
The telegram, signed by President
John l.. Lewis; Vice President Philip
Murray and Secretary William Green,
said:
ANY abrogation or setting aside of
| any part or section Of this agreement,
including the section providing for the
| checking off of dues and assessments
! cannot be regarded as other than viola
ton of the agreement and should be
treated accordingly by the district
officers and local unions"
Strike Is Union Weapon.
While no course of conduct for
union officials was outlined by the
telegram. it was said authoritatively
that the international officers regard
ed the strike as the unions weapon to
enforce contract The telegram was
sent to officials in 16 states. where the
CHECK Off provision obtains and where
3330. 600 of the $50. 900 union miners are
employed
The telegram follows:
AS result of the disagreement
between the United Mine Workers of
3AAiN'iNA ahh tiAS Npdl operators III Tue
fall of 1919 it was suggested by the
government of the United States the
miners and operators submit all their
differences 10 q commission appointed
by the president of the United States.
said commission to have full authority
to render an award covering every
proposition involved The United Mine
Workers agreed to this program and
the commission in due time rendered
an award which they decided must be
written into the form of an agreement
by and between the coal operators and
the United Mine Workers of America
to be- in full force and effect until
March 81. 1922.
Ordered Conference.
Following the rendition of this |
award by the United States bituminous
coal commission. functioning under gov |
ernmentai authority. the president Of !
the United States in letter To the |
coal operators and the United Mine !
Workers of America commanded both |
sides to meet in joint conference and /
duly execute such agreement as direct |
ed by the bituminous coal commission. !
! his was done and the agreement was |
duly signed in New York CITY on /
March 81. 1920. 1t is therefore obvious /
that said joint agreement honorabiy /
into and executed in due form |
under the direction of the government |
Of the United States can not be modi-
fled or changed in any of its pro
visions until the date of its expiration.
March 81. 1922. Any abrogation or
Of this agreement. including the Sec
lion providing for the checking off of
union dues and assessments. cannot be
regarded as other than a violation of Il
the agreement and should be treated
by the district officers and
ocal unions within your jurisdiction"
The states into which the message
vas sent are Pennsylvania. Ohio, West
Virginia. Illinois, Indiana. Missouri I,
kentucky. Michigan. Iowa, Kansas. l.
oklahoma. Arkansas. Texas. Wyoming.
Montana. and Washington. The mes
sage did not go to officials OF the /,
hree anthracite districts in Pennsyl- II
anna or. to partially organized btu
nihous districts. because the check off
S not used there.
Delay Action.
Dispatch of the message eliminated ,
series of conferences between union
hiefs and counsel, that extended ,
throughout the day. However. there !
vas no indication that any action would .
.sANSA a. HeAuUuuECpTS TO
'recipitate a strike until after Judge
anderson had declared that his order
'as not yet effective. He amended the
rider to provide that it was not in force
ntil after the Borderland Coal cor
oration, complainant in the Injunction
nit. had filed bond indemnifyinR de-
endants for damages that might result
rom any acts under the injunction In c
ase of reversal of his decision. :
agreed that $1,000 bond was ! /,
to bind the complainant for d
ny liability
Previously counsel for both operators ! =
nd the union had agreed to hasten an t
ppeal with the hope Of avertinR any :
walkout of workers.
While preparations for the appeall
rere being made, reports from the] !
indiana coalfields were that five mines
rere idle in protest against the in !
nnction and union officials at Terre :,
Iaute. were considering the formal
ssuance of strike order More Than.
500 men were employed at the Indi-
ma mines TINT were closed. and ON
ioyes elsewhere in the coal fields were
tanning meetings to decide on = =
curse of action. $50 :"