Evening star., 1921-09-25
MINERS WAR MOVE
. BLOCKED BY LEWIS
Rules Out of Order Delegates
With Motions for a Gen.
eraI Strike.
WILL USE LEGAL MEANS
Convention Finally Decides to
Fight Injunction Striking at
Union by Every Lawful Step.
WILL USE LEGAL MEANS
By the Associated Press..


INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. September "a.
Every lawful resistance to an In
junction suit. which was said ofi1cial-
ly to strike at the very heart and
SOUP of the mine workers' union, was
pledged today by an almost unanimous
vote Of the 1900 delegates attending
the convention Of the United Mine
Workers Of America. The action was
taksn after President John h. Lewis
had ruled out eok order. delegates who
wished to present motions for gem
eral strike. or adjournment Of the
corveptipn, $50 delegates pfEht go
home to prepare our fighting lines" ! 7
William Green. internationaf secre-,
tary. te1d the convention that 2 suit
filed in federal court here yesterdAy
on behalf Of West virginia and Ken
lucky operatons to prevent unioni5a-
ton Of those fields sought to have the
union held to be an unlawful organs
zation. Apparently. he regarded the
suit as a step toward an effort to dis
solve the union. which has contracts
with operators covering IS per cent
of the coal mined In the United States.
The attack on the legality Of the
union, he said. was the most danger
GUS charge ever made against it. and
he pointed out that the injunction, II
granted as sought. would nullify wage
agreements and the unions system Of
collecting members dues.
n~~~S .. rI~aver.e
1T is as broad as the universe, and
as comprehensive as eternity" de-
clared Mr.. Green. referring to the in.
junction plea
Later Samuel Gompers, president of
the American Federation Of Labor. in
addressing the convention. intimated
the suit sought an Injunction impos-
ing on the rights Of citizens, and.
turning to President Lewis. who
heads the list Of defendants in the
suit. said:
John. in defense Of that principle.
would like to visit you in. jail"
IT have every expectation that Mr..
Gompers will be accorded that
privilege" answered Lewis.
Mr.. Green. in his comment. declared
it was significant that the suit. which
the defendants must answer on Oc-
tober 13. had been filed in Judge
A. B. Andsrson's court here, and he
added that he was fearful Of the
result.
judge Andersen Attacked.
Later in the day John H. Walker.
president Of the Illinois Federation
Of Labor, attacked Judge Anderson,
asserting that in issuing injunctions
the Judge does not follow the letter
Of the law, but what has been called
the spirit of the law. Discussion of
the suit and Mr. Gompers' speech de-
layed convention work and 1t was
late afternoon when the delegates
got back to the debate that started
yesterday on the two Kansas strike
cases. In these, cases the anti
administration element -among the
delegates. led by Alexander Howat,
is opposing President Lewis recon-
mendation that the convention order
Howat to direct strikers to return to
work. Three Illinois delegates, stand
ing by Howat. apparently swayed the
convention, for at adjournment many
calls were made for a vote, which
was blocked, by the refusal of Vice
President Philip Murray. presiding
offlcer, to entertain a motion.
Frame-Up ID. Charged.
For Gods sake. men," he said, as
the din was silenced throughout the
big convention hall don't insist on
mob rule"
John walker. the illinois leader;
william Deach of Panama., ILL.,, and
Joseph Lynall Of Peoria took Howat's
side of the strike, saying Howat re-
fused to order the men back to work
because the operators wished to
change working conditions, which
they said was prohibited under the
contract LynalI charged that the
Kansas cases .were-a "frame-up to get
Howat because he is a radical" and
he added that certain international
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