Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-07-19
FEDERAL TROOPS
MAY BE USED IF
NEEDED IN COAL
MINERS STRIKE
This Action, However, Is Not
Likely to Be Taken Un-
less Efforts of State Of
fiCialS Eail,
MILITARY CHIEFS ARE
ADVISED OF DECISION
GomperS Predicts Harding'S
Invitation viii Result in
No AppreCiabIe Increase
in Output,
(By The Associat ! Press J

Washington, July IS Cby the AS
sociated Press. I'm the name ps
the common welfare, and the para
mount need of the American peo-
pie for the production and trans
portation of q fuel supply, Presi
dent Harding tonight, through tele-
grams, called upon the governors of
twenty y-eight coal states to furnish
protection and safeguards to men
and employers willing to resume
work in the industry, notwithstand-
ing the mine workers strike. To
the efforts of the states in this di-
rection, he said, "the federal gov
ernment pledges to you every as
sistance at its command
Behind the kilograms there
loomed the definite indication of Il
government decision to obtain the
resumption of transportation and
mining, both hampered today by
labor walkouts which high govern
ment officials consider intercon-
nected and associated.
Replying to a question late today,
Attorney General Daugherty said
Naturally there's a relationship
between the railroad and coal sit
uations, whether inspired or con-
spired, | am not saying"
"McreIy a Gesture"
John j.. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers of America.
declared the presidents message IL
the governors merely a gesture
which will not produce coal in any
substantial quantity" and asserted
that the mine workers strike would
be continued.
Earlier in the day, before the tel
egrams had been dispatched, Sam
uel Gompers, president of tho
American Federation of Labor, pre-
dicted in a statement that President
Harding's invitation to the opera
tors to resume operations would re-
suit in no appreciable increase in
production. He added that when
a half million men are aggfieved is
a poor time indeed for the roll o.
drums, the rafting of sabres ana
the pounding of the mailed fist
While there was no evidence "a
the war department that the presi-
dents move had resulted in any i'm
mediate change In the status or
SldlIpl VI ltOOp ullllSs 1T was wv
dent that the military authorities
had been advised of the decision
and had made plans which, accord
ing to Secretary Weeks, indicated
that the state authorities would be
given an opportunity in any case OF
disorder to control the situation
with the means at their command
before the federal power would be
invoked. 1t was made plain, how
ever, that n request from state
was not deemed absolutely essential
for federal troops to be sent where
their presence was deemed neces-
sary or for the federal government
to summon the national guard Of
state if supplementary troops
were needed. The government held
the opinion it was said, that there
was at its disposal under present
laws not only the regular army bu,
the full strength of the national
guard.
Legal authority for employment
of the regular army or its national
guard in the way contemplated 10
protect coal mines was expected to
be found in the "insurrection" sec
tions of the revised statutes which
are known to have been under
study recently at the war depart
ment.