Evening star., 1923-06-28
226 COAL STRIKE
CASES DISMISSED
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pretended quarrel-between operator
and miner spokesmen, which takes
place every few years and lately
more frequently. resulting in great
losses TO industry and great losses to
the working man, to say nothing or
the great hardships to everybody.
Hereafter the government will give
more attention than it has heretofore
to the right of those who suffer the
greatest loss by reason of these un-
lawful acts. and who are entitled to
the first consideration.
Welfare of People.
THE general welfare of the whole
people comes first, for that includes
those who have overstepped the lines
of law in making contracts in which
they seemed to deem that their own
interests were all that was worthy
OF consideration"
Warning the defendants and others
who may have been guilty of similar
acts. the Attorney General declared
they must not reach the conclusion,
because of the action 1 am now
taking in this case. that 1t Is the pur-
pose of the government to allow any
such acts which are crimes under our
laws to be committed in the future
without prompt and vigorous prose-
cution.
'T have no hesitation in saying"
added the Attorney General. that
usually many Of the things agreed
upon at the meetings between the
representatives OF the operators and
representatives Of the miners. but not
often made public, constitute a con-
spiracy. The public is fed up with
the idea that there is great and
stubborn controversy between the
Contracting parties. when, in fact,
there is no real contest at all, and
the fake pretensions are intended
only to alarm the public so that it
will consent to give any price for coal
in order to be insured against freez-
ing"
The action by the government orig
inaIly was taken in a previous ad-
ministration. the Attorney General
explained, although he did not men
tion by name President Wilson Con-
ditions between the operators and
the miners were the source of official
action" he said, "on the part OF the
Council of National Defense. the De-
partment of Justice, the Federal
eral Of railroads and. indeed, the then
President Of the United States, in an
effort which was claimed on their part
to be for the purpose OF STIMULATING
the production of coal: aud. on the
trial of the case 1t would be difficult
IL not impossible, for the government
to rebut the claim that the things
complained Of in this case were the
natural result. in a great measure, Of
the efforts Of the government OIL
cials to bring about closer and more
sympathetic working relations be-
tween the miners and the operators.
7 have no disposition to, and would
not be understood as wishing to crtti-
cize In the least those who, at the
time the acts were committed, had
the responsibility which now rests
upon me as Attorney General of the
United States"
The Attorney General set forth that
the governments coal commission.
which had recently been formed by
Congress. with more power than Is
generally supposed, would be given
FALL the support possible, to the end
that its efforts may accrue to the sta
biIization of the fuel industry and in
sure an uninterrupted supply of coal
for all purposes to the people OF the
United States"