The New York herald., 1921-11-01
Judge Anderson Enjoins Coal
Operators From Aiding
Mine Workers.
USE OF FUNDS ILLEGAL
Order Also Prohibits Efforts
to Unionize Williamson
Coal Field.

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 31.-Coliection of
funds Of the United Mine Workers of
America through the check off" sys-
tenn, by which union membership dues
are deducted from miners wages by
operators throughout the country, was
enjoined to-day by Federal Judge
A. B. Anderson.
Further. his order enjoined all union
officials and members from seeking
by any and all means to unionize
the Williamson coal field in West vir-
ginia. where violence has marked the
strike that began more than year
ago. The order is temporary. but
effective until changed by court.
Vain effort was made in court by
counsel for the union to forestall the
decree placing ban on the check off,
and, though officers withheld comment
on the court order 1t was said Off
cially to be a staggering blow at the
union. Counsel for operators in the
hearing preceding the order had said
that a strike might follow the levying
of a ban on the check off," After
issuance OF the order. reports from
Knox county, one big Indiana producing
centre. said that 5000 miners planned
mass meetings to determine their stand.
The order itself indicated the possibility
Of many contracts between miners and
operators being broken by the ban on
the "check off"
The only comment on the order from
the miners side was statement by
Fills Searles, editor OF the official pub
licatiou of the union. who asserted tn.
injunction was certainly joyful news
for the United States Steel Corpora
tion." which he added was reputed to
be the largest coal land owner In the
strike zone.
In giving his opinion Judge Anderson
made IL plain that he believed a con-
spiracy In violation of the Sherman anti
trust law had been shown at the hear
ing for the temporary injunction In the
suit OF Borderland Coal Corporation.
acting on behalf OF thrcescorc other
West Virginia operators. The con-
spiracy. the court said, existed between
the union miners and operators I'm the
central competitive field. comprising
Illinois. Indiana. Ohio and western
Pennsylvania. and that the "closed
shop operators OF other States were also
involved because of the check Off" He
auueu JHHt INC tTOuDle III west virginia
was due TO an attempt to bring the only
competitive field into the combination
How does this strike the man In the
street?'' he asked. Here Is an orga n
ization with enormous funds, all OF
which are collected by the operators
through the check Off. The poor old con-
sunier. without a friend in the world. is
n,ilkcd constantly by these operators and
miners. l am going to stop this check
off now. These operators know now
that they arc furnishing the sinews OF
war for that struggle in West Virginia. I"
The court order as finally agreed
upon after an all Gay discussion OF
court and counsel as to the exact text
prohibited the check or and efforts
toward unionizing the Williamson field
which includes Mingo county. w. Va.
and Pike county. Ky. II did not deny
the right OF workers to organize or hold
that the union was an unlawful organ.
izatlon. II also did not hold the check
or was In itself unlawful. but wes aimed
at the use OF money obtained through T.
However. the order was OF a sweeping
nature. applying TO every operator IN tho
country having agreements for the check
off and affecting every union miner