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Show COURT ENJOINS GREAT MINE STRIA FEDERATION CHIEFTAINS DEPLORE ACT V Declare Injunction Pro-1 Pro-1 ceedings Will Only 1 Raise Up New and More Disturbing Issues. i I Statement Is Issued After Af-ter Delegation Makes Visit of Protest to Attorney At-torney General Palmer. ArilllNelTOX, Oct. 31. Samuel Gotn-s, Gotn-s, speaking tonlglit for organized la-'declared- the injunction in the coal lie caso "can only result in creating and more disturbing Issues which riot be confined solely to the miners." 4 I i statement, Issued jointly by Mr. peis. Vice President Woil and Sec retary Morrison of the federation, after 3 ' they had protested to Attorney General Palmto against thy action of the federal court at Indianapolis, folloivs: "Throughout the period of the war and during the nation's time of stress, the miners of America labored patiently, patriotically and arduously In order that tho principles of freedom and democracy might triumph over the forces of arbitrary arbi-trary authority, dictatorship and despot-I despot-I Ibm. 'When armed hostilities ceased last November, the miners found themselves in the paradoxical position where their intensive in-tensive labors were being used to further enrich the owners of coal mines and merchants mer-chants dealing in coal by the immediate reduction of tho mining of tho coal. Of uQursG, the mine owners readily conceived thai an overabundance of nilnc.l coal would seriously disturb the high prices of coal and endanger their largo margin of profits: DECLARE OPERATORS STOOD AS BARRIER. "On the other hand, the miners found tiiat with the constantly rising cost of necessities of life, and with their Income reduced over 50 per cent because of idleness, idle-ness, they had reached the limit of human endurance. Orderly and improved processes were invoked to negotiate a new understanding with the mine owners Rnd which would onablo the miners to Work at least five days during each week throughout the etitiro year and allow them II , a wiipo sufuVIoiil tn enable then: to live j in decency and free from many of the Ijl pressing uncertainties of life. "In attempting to negotiate this new Understanding and relation, the miners found that their plea for continuous employment em-ployment would destroy tho mine owners' own-ers' arrangement to curtail tho mining f of coal so as to continue exploiting tho public with high and exorbitant prices. "The mlno owners very cleverly met the issue by appearing willing and anxious to negotiate, but only If the minors would lirsj throw aside the only power si their command tp g.iln a respectful hearing and fair consideration the decision to strike whenever it was demonstrated fair deal-, deal-, lags did not prevail. ALLEGES MANIPULATION BY COAL OPERATORS. "Wo nro now faced with : coal strike , 01 vast magnitude. The government now proposes to Inti rvene because of a possible possi-ble coal shortage. Apparently tro government gov-ernment la not concerned with the ' manipulation by the mine owners which has ttiaxlo for present coal shortage and undue unemployment of the miners for :he past eleven months. Instead of dealing deal-ing with those responsible for this grave menace to the public welfare. It now proposes pro-poses to punish those who. by force of Tj clreumstanctM. have been the victims of tho coal barons' exploitations. The miners are now told the war Is not ovor and that r - all war legislation Is still in effect, and If reports received here are correct the gov-L. gov-L. ' eminent Intends to apply evlstlnc wir 1 measures, not against the owners of the 1 coal mines, but against the coal miners 1 rho government has taken steps to en-1 en-1 . rorce war measures by an Injunction and J . has restrained the officials . of the m 1 On u Mine Workers from counseling 1 1 t.lmjr or .11 any way assisting the nieirt-ir nieirt-ir WT:s of tht organization for relief against 4 il -evous conditions of life and employ- I St is almost ill.-oi , i-.ml.; . netit which Is proud or its partioWa-ln partioWa-ln " great war to liucra'.c oppressed I Continued on Page 2, C'olunut :.) FEDERATION GIFS DEPLORE THE ACT ' : I (Continued From Page On 3.) peoples should now undertake to suppress the legitimate alms, hopes and aspirations of a group of its own people. DECLARES LINCOLN'S POLICY IS REVERSED. "Il is still more strange that a nation which may justly be proud of its Abraham Abra-ham Uincoln should now reverse the application ap-plication of the great truth he enunciated when he said that, as between capital and labor, labor should receive first and foremost consideration. "The injunction against the United Mlno Workers bodes for ill. An injunction injunc-tion of this nature will not prevent the strike it will not fill the empty stomachs of the miners it -may restrain sane leadership, lead-ership, but will give added strength to unwise counsel and increase bitterness and friction. "This injunction can only regult in creating new and more disturbing issues which may not be confined solely to the miners. These yiews were presented to Attorney General Palmer in a conference this afternoon lasting nearly two hours, by President Gompers. Secretary Morrison Mor-rison and Vice President Woll of the American Federation of Uabor." |
