Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1922-04-14
GOVERNMENT IN
NEW STRIKE MOVE
Attorney General Sets Aside the
Operators Excuse.
SAYS. IT'S STRATEGY OF WAR
Daugherty Declares There's No Rea-
son for Their Not Doing Now
What a Short Time Ago They
Were Willing to Do.

Washington, April 7.-Attorney Gen
eral Daugherty, in letter to Repre-
sentative Bland of the house labor
committee, set aside the coal opera
tors excuse that wage conference
with the striking miners might bring
federal prosecution by declaring 1t
would not. In statement earlier In
the day he declared:
1.-THE operators attitude Is merely
a part Of the strategy Of war. There
is no excuse for their not doing now
what a few months ago they were
willing to do. The excuse they offer
now must have occurred to them
when they found popular opinion turn
ing against them because they would
not meet the miners"
He said that the government is
"watchfully waiting" for any increase
In coal prices and declared:
II intend to see that the public is
not pinched In any way"
Despite the fact that the operators
have resisted every governmental and
congressional request to meet the
miners and settle the strike, Repre-
sentative Bland. father Of the bill to
investigate ine industry, and Chair
man Nolan Of the house labor COM
mittee have not given up hope that
a meeting can be brought about.
Progress Made.
I'VE are beginning to get some
where" said Mr.. Bland. There has
already been more progress made in
less than a week than would have
been accomplished in month If the
miners and operators had been left
alone. The coal situation will never
be cleared up until the government
steps in and makes a scientific study
OF the whole affair through a COM
mission appointed by the President
as proposed in my bill. We can't
wait for that, though, to meet the
present emergency. We have got to
get them together and we are going
to do it.
Before the strike neither side
would concede single point. Already
the miners have agreed to meet with
hte operators of the central competi-
tive field exclusive of western Penn
sylvania and southern Ohio, or any
other group representing a proper
tiOnate tonnage"
I. H.. Watkins, spokesman for the
central Pennsylvania operators, testi-
flying before the committee, said:
1--WE must find way to get togeth-
er. l am not afraid of conferences
/ believe in them. We've got to meet
them sooner or later"
Chairman Nolan said:
1--WE are not concerned with wheth-
er the operators and miners repre-
senatives get together by districts,
states, groups or as a whole. The
public demands that they get to-
gether."
Daugherty's Letter.
Attorney General Daugherty's letter,
which was read into the records Of the
committee, said in part:
"Both sides have known ali along,
informally, that it was my judgment
that a meeting should be held, because
of the peculiar situation with refer
ence to the meeting which had previ-
ously been held, which provided upon
adjournment for a subsequent meat
ing, and to which agreement the gov
eminent was more or less a party.
Nov, having taken that position.
Is it likely that the Department of
Justice would undertake prosecution
against men for taking a position
which it advised under the circum-
stances should be done? Nobody
connected with this department has
made any statement to the effect that
the prosecution would be undertaken
If. meeting, such as was contem-
plated in the resolution providing for
the same, were to be held. The ques-
ton as TO fear of the governments
action was never raised until the op-
orators refused to hold such a meet
ing"