| Show INCONCEIVABLE ACT GOMPERS SAYS OF INJUNCTION Labor Chief Declares Order Or Or- der Bodes Evil in America WASHINGTON Nov 1 Samuel I.-Samuel Samuel Gompers Compare speaking last night for tor or organized organized organized or- or labor declared the Injunction Injunction tion lion In the coal strike case can only result In creating new and more dIsturbing disturbing dis die issues which may not be confined confined confined con con- fined solely to the miners The statement issued Jointly by Mr Ir Gompers Vice President and Secretary Morrison of the federation after atter the they had protested to Attorney General Palmer against the action of ot the federal court at Indianapolis follows fol fol- fol lows iowa ws Throughout the period of the war and during the nations nation's time of ot stress the miners of ot America labored patiently pa pa- patriotically and arduously In order that the principles of freedom and democracy might triumph over the forces of arbitrary authority dictatorship dictatorship dictatorship dic dic- and despotism RAPS OPERATORS When armed hostilities ceased last lut November the miners found themselves them- them selves In the paradoxical position where their intensive labor was be beIng being being be- be ing used to further enrich the owners owners own own- ers of coal mines and merchants dealing dealing deal deal- ing in coal by the immediate reduction lion tion of ot the mining of the coal Of Ot course the mine owners readily conceived conceived conceived con con- that an o overabundance of mined d coal would seriously disturb the high prices of coal and endanger their large margin of profits profit On the other hand the miners found that with the constantly risIng rising rising ris ris- ris- ris ing co Cost cod t of ot necessities of ot life Ute and with their thE income reduced over 60 liO per cent because of Idleness Idlene s that they had reached the limit of ot human endurance Orderly and Improved ed processes were invoked to negotiate negotiate a a. new understanding with the mine owners and which would enable the miners to work at least leut five daj days a during each week throughout the en entire entire en en- tire year and allow them a wage suffIcient sufficient suf sot to enable them to live in indecency indecency indecency decency and free from many of ot the pressing uncertainties of lIf life CLEVERLY MET ISSUE In In attempting to negotiate this new understanding and relation the miners found that their plea for continuous con con- employment would destroy the mine owners owners' arrangement to curtal cur cur- tai tall tal the mining of coal so as to continue continue con con- exploiting the public with high and exorbitant prices I The mine owners very cleverly I met the issue by appearing willing I and anxious to negotiate but only It If the miners would first throw aside the only power at their command to gain a a. respectful hearing and fair consideration the consideration the decision to strike whenever it was as demonstrated fair dealings did not prevail pre We are now raced faced with a coal strike of vast ast magnitude The government gov gov- now proposes to Intervene because of a a. possible coal shortage Apparently the government is not concerned with the manipulation by bythe bythe bythe the mine owners which has hams made for present coal shortage and undue Unemployment unemployment unemployment un un- employment of ot the the miners for tor the past eleven months Instead of ot dealing with those re responsible responsible re- re for tor this grave menace to the public welfare it now proposes to punish those who by force of circumstances circumstances cir cir- cir cir- have been the victims of the coal barons' barons exploitations The miners are now told the war Is not over and that all war legislation is still in effect and if it reports received here are correct the government go In Intends Intends intends In- In tends to apply existing war measures not against the owners of ot the coal coalmines coalmines mines but against the coal miners The government has taken steps to enforce war measures by bv an Injunction Injunction injunction I tion and it has hall restrained the officials daIs claIs of the United Mine Workers from counseling aiding or In any anyway anyway anyway way assisting the members of ot this organization for tor relief against grievous ous conditions of ot life lite and employ employ- ment CITES LINCOLN'S WORDS It n Is almost inconceivable that a government which Is proud of its participation In a great war var to lib liberate lib lib- erate crate suppressed ed peoples s should now undertake to suppress the tIme legitimate alms aims hopes and aspirations of ot a group of its own people It is stilt still stillmore more strange that a nation which may Justly be proud of oC it its It Abraham Lincoln should now reverse the ap application application ap- ap of the great truth he clat elated d when he ht said that as between capital and labor labor should re receive receive receive re- re first and foremost consideration The injunction against the United Mine lne Workers bodes for tor ill iii An In Injunction Injunction injunction In- In junction of this nature will not prevent pre pro vent the strike strike strike-it it will not fill till the empty stomachs of the miners miners miners-it it may restrain sane leadership but wilt will give added strength to unwise coun coun- sel eel an and increase bitterness and fric c I e tion i I- I This Injunction can only result J iJ int fj ek creating new and more disturbing II l issues sues which ma may not be confined n nc A 11 solely to the miners Ij Th These se views were presented to At II torney General Palmer in a u U ence yesterday afternoon II nearly two hours by President GOlD Gom Gompers J J. J F l' l pers Secretary Morrison and V c President won Well of the American Fed oration of Labor I t 1 t. t |
