Evening star., 1925-12-27


they do not represent the pastors of
any of the churches in the lower
regions and ] do not think they rep
resent the real sentiment OF their own
communities
Sees PrOpag ganda.
The pastors reference to the loss
of millions of dollars to mine work
ers, operators and the public, Mr..
Kennedy says, lis almost word for
word identical with the propaganda
issued by the anthracite operators and
with which .he public is very IA
miliar.
I'm the second paragraph of their
letter they refer to the desire Tor
settlement" continues the statement
In this connection, OF course, IT is
true that every normal person desires
settlement of this controversy, but II
is equally true that the mine work
ers desire just settlement, an honor
able settlement. Il settlement that VIII
mean progress tor the mine workers,
and the overwhelming sentiment oI
the United Mine Workers is to fight
until an honorable settlement Is
secured"
The priests request that all ques-
tons which cannot be settled direct
shall be referred 10 an impartial
board of arbitration" Mr.. Kennedy
holds to be directly in accordance
with the operators viewpoint. and of
course. would preclude the possibility
of settlement OF any question, because
the operators would settle nothing and
refer all matters 10 arbitration.
Once Learned Lesson.
The miners had dose of impartial
arbitration once" he says. we
learned a lesson and it will never be
forgotten.
The letter. the statement con-
tinues. refers to arbitration between
nations in Europe. and they wonder
why we in the anthracite field can
not subscribe to the principles of un-
restricted arbitration"
The United States Government
and it's people have not as yet sub
scribed to the principle of arbitration
between nations The people of the
United States swamped a presidential
candidate and his party who stood for
international arbitration. our entry
into the World Court, if it comes. will
contain reservations protecting the
principles of our Government. One
OF the greatest thinkers on the sub
ject has well said that arbitration Is
a denial of justice, and we of the
anthracite know this to be true.
The mine workers official states
that the clergy does not give the
miners credit for making the only
move that sought to bring about an
honorable settlement of this diff
Guilty
Asks Just Recognition.
We have given of substance and
we are at least entitled to be accorded
recognition of this fact" he asserted.
"A very significant occurrence grow
ing out of this situation was the
fact that the meeting which drafted
the letter was held at Wilkes Barre,
while the letter itself was made public
at Scranton and was carried over The
Associated Press from that city. The
letter was made public some time be-
fore President Lewis had received his
copy.
Another important factor which we
here have discovered concerns the
activities of a politician now in the
employ of one of the coal companies
connection for some time past. Time
will tell just what part this gentle
man played in the transaction.
THE letter from the pastors, herein
referred to. appeared in the press of
last Thursday morning. On Thursday
evening another letter was made pub
lie signed by several pastors of Irish
American congregations. The clergy
men signing this document are scat
tered between Carbondale and Nanti-
coke. In their letter as quoted in
the press they endorsed the declara-
tions made yesterday in a letter to
the negotiating parties from the pas
tors of the non-English speaking con-
gregations' In view of this, it there
fore is quite plain that the pastors
Of the Irish-American congregations
must have had advance knowledge Of
this letter because it was not made
public until 1t appeared in the press
of Thursday morning.
Holds Prejudice Shown.
"The latter letter also takes a fling
at the check-off and by SO doing, they
indicate prejudice and, having done
so, they make it impossible for that
demand of the mine workers to re-
ceive impartial adjudication. These
pastors likewise advocate the easy
way out.
Their position is untenable and is
not subscribed to by the great over
whelming number of priests in the
Scranton diocese or other dioceses in
the anthracite coal region.
For every l who would SUBJ
scribe to their policies so would sub
scribe to the policies and principles
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
ica.'