The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-23
WARN MINERS
VIOLENCE WILL
be PROHIBITED
Daugherty Warns Prevention
of Production Not Toler-
ated- Bland Bill Calls for
Probe
COMMITTEE IN SESSION
(By Associated Press,


(By Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, March 23.-Wan-
ing that the federal government would
tolerate no use of violence to prevent
coal production during the threatened
coal strike, was issued today by At
torney-General Daugnerty.
Mr.. Daugherty declared he was
making no threats and that he be-
lieved that man or set of men had
a right to strike in an orderly way,
but they did not have the right to in
terfere with those who took their
places.
The attorney-general did not dis
close the governments plan for the
miners walKout, but it was understood
he conferred yesterday with President
| Harding and Secretary Davis upon
the possibility of public appeal by
the president to avert the strike.
Mr.. Daugherty said that he did not
believe that the government would
have to wait until there was an actual
coal shortage, before it could take ac-
tion.
His theory he explained, was that.
of transportation the government had
the same power to act in the case OF
any interference to coal production.
that it would in the event of any in
terruption in the nations trasporta-
tion system.
Bland Asks Probe
Investigation of conditions in the
coal mining industries by a special
commission to be appointed by the
president is called for in a bill intro
duced today by Representative Bland
republican, Indiana.
The commission, which would have
three members, would be instructed to
make inquiry particularly into wages,
hours of employment and working
conditions of miners, and into the
causes of 'the present industrial dis
pute" between the operators and min
ers. The investigation would embrace
both the anthracite and the bitumin.
GUS fields.
:, NEW YORK. March 23.-In an eiev-
enth hour attempt to halt preparations
for nationwide strike in the coal in
. dustry the arbitration committee of
. anthracite miners and operators met
. behind locked doors today at the I'm
ion League club.
The committee was composed of
$ eight men, four miners and four oper-
f ators. With them sat two non-voting
L neutrals, chairman and secretary
n John l.. Lewis, president of the inter
g national organization of United Mine
5 Workers, headed the miners delega-
ton. The spokesman for the operat-
ors was S. D. Warriner, of the Lehigh
It Coal and Navigation company.
{ Upon the conference will depend
= whether the 100000 anthracite work
e ers shall proceed with their 100000
p brethren in the bituminous fields and
> prepare to drop their tools April
Y while their 19 wage demands are given
C consideration
r. Agreement Not Expected
i The miners representatives enter
% the meeting with little expectation Of
reaching an agreement to avert the
s strike
n ''Of course, we have hope" said
e Mr. Lewis
1t at would be possible for us to con
clude an agreement within 40 min
o, utes. Such a thing might happen
IL But I recall that similar wage arbi-
It trations in previous years have taken
e from several weeks to months.
There is no reasonable doubt but
that the general strike will be April l
as scheduled"
Representatives of the operators de
clined to make any predictions as TO
the outcome. They continued to main
tain strict secrecy concerning the pro
gram of wage reduction which they
v will offer as the basis for new con.
] tract as opposed to the wage demands
of the miners.
Delegates chosen yesterday to at
tend the meeting of the national gen
eral policies committee at Cleveland
"a are preparing to leave for that city
ee tonight. :
al Decide Distribution
s- They with nearly 200 delegates from
n. bituminous unions will decide upon the
- distribution of the 10000 men who
No. will be left in the mines to protect
( property while the strike is in pro
te gress.
te Questions of financing the strike
~ ~ also will be decided at Cleveland, ant
w. plans laid for distribution of strike
benefits in case the cessation Of &C
st tivities continues until 1t works hard
Cd ships on the families of the miners.
"a Plans will be devised for the assess
70. ment of strike dues In local district.
,;s to swell the $2,0000o0 war chest
-. which union leaders estimate is al
ready available.
Miners Still WILLING
- Mr.. Lewis announced today that tn,
United Mine Workers were still read,
and willing to meet with the min,
!, owners in any move to decide upol
new wage scale. His organization
= was in perfect accord with attempts o
the administration at Washington t
urge the operators to change thei
nd policy of absolutely refusing to dea
he with the unions" he said.
ted Coal distributors of New York toda
OF were distributing circulars urgin
ote their customers to buy anthracite now
to prepare for threatened shortag
les which protracted strike would cause
so While mine operators were reticen
mo concerning this move, labor men In
ION mediately called it propaganda {
lne dispose of their large stocks bough
ad- at peak prices" The public would nc
tne be affected by strike for at least ty