The New York herald., 1921-11-02
Hard Coal Districts Not In
cluded in Agreement
Called Illegal.
MEN CHARGE BAD FAITH
Say Pact to Last Until March,
1922, Was Made Under U. s.
Government Auspices.

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. ! ASSOCIATED
Press). A nationwide strike OF coal
miners seemed inevitable tonight if
operators heed the injunction issued
by Federal Judge A. B. Anderson
which prescribed the "check off" of
union dues.
A telegram sent late to-day from
headquarters of the United Mine
Workers of America after it had been
definitely learned that the injunction
was not yet in effect" advised union
officials to regard discontinuance Of
the check off" as breaking the existing
wage agreement. The telegram was
signed by President John l.. Lewis,
vice-President Philip Murray and Sec
retary William Green.
While no course Of conduct for union
officials was outlined by the telegram
it was said authoritatively that the in
ternational officers regarded the strike
as the unions only weapon to enforce
contract. The telegram was sent to
officials in sixteen States, where the
check off, provision obtains and
where $4,000 of the $4,000. union
miners are employed. The text of the
telegram follows:
Telegram TO Mine Unions.
'As result of the disagreement be-
tween the United Mine Workers OF
America and the coal operators In the
fall or 1919, II was suggested by the
Government of the United States the
miners and the operators submit all
their differences to commission ap-
pointed 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 programme 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 Fol-
lowing the rendition OF this award by
the United States Bituminous Coal Com
mission. functioning under governmental
authority, the President of the United
States in letter addressed to the coal
operators and the United Mine Workers
OF America, commanded both sides to
meet In joint conference and duly exc
cute such agreement as directed by the
Bituminous Coal Commission. This was
done and the agreement was duly signed
in New York city on March 81. 1920.
1T Is, therefore. obvious that said
joint agreement honorably entered into
and executed in due form under the d.
rection Of the Government OF the United
States cannot be modified or changed
In any Of its provisions until the date
of its expiration. March 81, 1922. ANY
abrogation or setting aside Of any part
or section of this agreement. including
the section providing for the checking
off of union dues and assessments. can
not be regarded as other than a viola
tion OF the agreement and should be
treated accordingly by the district off,
GERS and local unions within your juris-
dlctions /"
states 10 Get Message.
The States into which the message
was sent were Pennsylvania. Ohio. West
Virginia. Illinois: Indiana. Missouri,
Kentucky. Michigan. Iowa, Kansas.
Oklahoma. Arkansas. Texas. wyoming.
Montana and Washington. The mes
sage did not go to officials of the three
anthracite districts in Pennsylvania, or
to partly organized bituminous districts.
because the check on Is not used
there.
Despatch OF the message eliminated
series OF conferences between union
chiefs and counsel that extended
throughout the day However. there
WAS no indication that any action would
be taken at union headquarters to pre-
cipitate strike until after Judge An
derson had declared that his order was
effective. He amended the order to pro-
vide that 1t was not in force until after
the Borderland Coal Corporation. COM
plainant In tho Injunction suit. had flied
bond indemnifying defendants for dam
ages that might result from any acts un-
der the Injunction in case OF reversal
Of his decision. Counsel agreed that
$1,000 bond was sufficient to bind the
complainant for any liability.