THE MORNING OltEGONIAX, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10. 101!.
COST OF LIVING
IS
LEGION-OF-DEATH WOMAN COMES TO AMERICA AS WIFE OF'
ARMY OFFICER.
TARGET OF
Thousands
the
;o to the opera to hear
Workmen Want Opportunity
to Live and to Save.
John'L. Lewis Says State
;r eat singers, but
ment Is Premature.
millions hear them on the Vicirola!
CONDITIONS ARE PROBED
OFFICIALS WILL CONFER
Blame Is Placed on Employer and
Employe Alike for Ignorance
Vhicli Causes Gulf.
Court's Order That Strike Be Called
" Off to Be Considered ; Out
come Is Problematical.
REPORT OF MINERS'
SURRENDER DENIED
u W n
if irT) vl
BT CARL W. ACKERMAS.
fCopyright by the Public Leigrer. Pub
lished by Arrangement.)
CHARLESTON, W. Va., Nov. 6.
(Special.) "Ciet this grub a little
cheaper and we'll quit kickin'."
Working- alone in a room." drilling
a. seam of coal in mine No. 5 of the
Solvay Collieries company properties
on Paint creek. West Virginia, was a
miner who had been laboring seven
venrs in the mines.- After I had asked
him a number of questions about the j
United Mineworkers, the government
injunction, hours of work, wages and
the strike tluring my investigation
today of the sentiment among the
operators and miners, he shouted the
above parting greeting.
In that one statement he voiced the
views of every miner I talked with
during a 140-mile journey into the
coal fields of this state along Cabin
creek and Paint creek, two tributa
ries of the Kanawha river, which
flows through a beautiful, rich valley
into the Ohio river. It did not mat
ter how many queries I put to the
men, or the subjects I inquired about,
the answers always hinged upon the
high cost of the necessities of life,
and when the miners said they were
not Interested In a six-hour day or a
five-day week, despite the attitude
of their national leaders, they always
concluded:
'I haven't got enough to live on;
all I want is enough to keep my fam
ily and save some money."
Savings Are Small.
"But haven't you saved some
money?" asked one of the party.
"Yes, I guess I have saved a little,
about J400 last year, but I ain't saved
nothing this year," said one of the
men.
"We don't get a chance to accumu
late money," another miner inter
jected, "but the capitalist class saves
' all the time."
Many additional statements were
made by the 30 or 40 miners I talked
with, but the keynote of their con
versations always touched on the cost
of living and their desire for money.
I found no senitment among the
miners in this district in favor of the
nationalization of the coal fields. I
heard no criticism of the government.
No one expresses any sympathy for
the six-hour day with the possible
exception of one negro who wanted
more time to work in his garden dur
ing the summer, but I found all the
men hypnotized by their leaders, ready
and willing to. do anything their of
ficers ordered.
From the standpoint of a newspaper
Investigation the conditions were
ideal. At 7 o'clock this morning three
other newspaper correspondents and
I left Charleston on a special train
accompanied by the leading coal op
erators and bankers of this com
munity. These men escorted us to
the mines, where we had every op
portunity of meeting and questioning
the men without any Interference or
hindrance from the operators and
when we left the miners we piled
the business leaders with just as
many and perhaps as difficult ques
tions. We tried to learn both sides
of the dispute. We did succeed in
drawing out both the operators and
men.
All Show Ignorance.
After I had spent the day in the
company of both miners and opera
tors, after I had been into the mines,
the miners' homes and the company
stores, I was impressed not so much
by the differences between the two
as by the Ignorance of all. One of
the operators said this was the first
visit he made to his mines in more
than a year, another complained that
he could not talk to his men. that
they were suspicious of him and his
motives. The gulf between the oper
ators and miners was so evident that
to me, as an outsider and an ob
server, nothing which either side
might say about the other would
surprise me.
The miners do not know the oper
ators problems. The miners have
been reading only the arguments of
their union leaders. The operators
have done nothing to present their
side to any controversy.
When I asked one of the operators
about the 12-cent loaf of bread sold
in his company store he answered
mat tne j-cent increase In price was
due to the weight of the loaf, and
when I asked him whether this had
been explained to his miner custom
ers he answered that he did not know
ana am not care, that as long as he
was fair and honest it did not mat
ter to him whether or not his em
ployes knew it. The miners had ex
aggerated notions about the profits
w men tne coal companies were mak
ing, Dut the companies have done
notntng to inform the miners or re
fute the charges of the agitators.
Fair Return "Wanted.
As a result of my investigation to
day in the chief union fields of this
state. I was impressed by the testi
juony oi me men Decause it con
firmed my observations elsewhere
that the real, honest, hard-working-
American worker is not radical and
that all he wants is a fair return for
his work and a margin of profit on
nls labor to enable him to enjoy some
or tne luxuries or life and accumu
late a saving for later years.
What the American worker wants
is fair play and he does not believe
the employers are fair today. He be
lieves his labor leader and the agi
tator, but at heart he would be fuir
i to the employer if the employer would
take it upon himself to take labor
more into his confidence. As long as
there is a gulf between labor and
capital here in the coal fields of this
state or anywhere there will be mis
understandings and the misunder
standings today are colossal.
Out of the minor misunderstand
ings regarding the prices of food in
the company stores grow the great
misconceptions regarding profits, but
so far nothing has been done to cor
rect either in the minds of the miner
and those workers, who believe tha
the companies are robbing them in
their stores naturally accept the ad
vice of the agitators and propa
gandists when they tell the men tha
everything belongs to them and tha
all they have to do is to organize and
take what they want.
MINE INJUNCTION SCORED
(Continued From First Page.)
nonemployment existing in that
dustrv.
in
"The high cost of living has pre
eented itself in perhaps a more seri
ous form in isolated mining camps
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Photo Copyright by Underwood.
MRS. AGNES MENEFEE.
Mrs. Agnes Menefee, after four years' service in the woman's battalion
of death, during which time she wus wounded twice and twice decorated
with the Cross of St. George and another medal, has arrived In the United
States as the wife of an American artillery officer and will make her home
with him at Covington, Ky. She was a prisoner in Germany six months.
Her maiden name was Agnes Rostkovska.
than in large industrial centers. There
s usually not the same opportunity
for the miners In the mining camps
to make their purchases to such ad-
antage as is presented in other lo
calities. Their isolation prevents this.
'The United Mine Workers, in their
convention held during the month of
September in the city of Cleveland,
adopted a positive declaration de
manding improved conditions of em
ployment for the miners. They fur
ther instructed the officers to pro-
eed to obtain by negotiations with
the operators the working conditions
that the convention unanimously
adopted.
There were almost 2200 delegates
seated in the convention, representing
00,000 organized'miners. They fur
ther positively and explicitly In
structed their officers that unless an
agreement was reached on or before
the first day of November, I9ia. the
resolution of the convention calling
for a strike on November 1, 1919,
should be communicated to the mem
bership. There was no alternative
except for the officers, who are elect
ed by the membership, to carry out
the direct instructions of the mem
bership or resign from their positions
as officers, in which event chaos and
confusion would result."
Offers Are Refused.
The officers of the mine workers,
with their scale committee, entered
into conferences and discussions with
he operators in the city of Buffalo.
They stated at the conference that
they had full power to give and take
in the conference. The employers re
fused to make any offer whatever.
Later on the miners answered the
call of the secretary of labor and
further endeavored to reach an agree
ment, but failed. The officers then
proceeded to carry out the instruc-
lons of their membership and com
municated the result of the failure of
negotiations and by order of the con
vention the strike automatically took
effect November 1, 1919.
The machinery which has existed
for years and which has been success
ful in bringing about agreements be
tween the miners and the operators.
still exists and they, as representa
tives of the miners, were, and are,
ready and willing to enter into nego-
ations without reservation to reach
an agreement.
"At this time, our government inter
ected itself and applied for an in
unction. "A temporary restraining order
was granted by a federal Judge which
restrains the officials of the miners
from in any way advising their mem
bership on the situation or contrib
uting any of the moneys of the mine
workers to. the assistance of the men
on strike, also restraining them from
discussing, writing or entering into
any kind of a convention with their
membership on the strike situation.
Rights Held Invaded.
The government then proceeded to
further invade the rights of the min
ers, not only by restraining the i
miners, their officers and members '
from furthering the purpose for
which the men contended, but went to
further lengths of demanding from
the court an order commanding the
officers of the miners' union to recall
and withdraw the strike notification,
and the court complacently complied
and issued the order.
"Never in the history of our coun
try has any such a mandatory oraer
been oDtained or even applied for
by tne government or by any person,
company or corTporatlon.
"Both the restraining order and the
injunction, insofar as its prohibitory
features are concerned, are predicated
upon the Lever act, a law enacted by
congress for the purpose of prevent
ing speculation and profteeering of
food and fuel supplies of the country.
There never was in the minds of the
congress in enacting that law or In
the mind of the president when he
signed it that the Lever act would
be applied to workers in cases of
strikes or lockouts.
Promises Are Given.
The food controller, Mr. Hoover,
specifically so stated. Members of
the committee having- the bill in
charge have in writing declared that
it was not In the minds of the com
mittee and the then attorney-general.
Mr. Gregory, gave assurance that the
government would not apply that law
to the workers' efforts to obtain Im
proved working conditions. Every
assurance from the highest authority
of our government was given that the
law would not be misapplied.
"In the course of President Wilson's
address to the Buffalo convention of
the American Federation of Labor,
November,
he said:
1917, among other things
"'While we are fighting for free
dom, we must see among other things
that labor is free, and that means a
number of Interesting things. It
means not only that we must do what
we have declared our purpose to do,
see that the conditions of labor are
not rendered more onerous by the
war, but also that we shall see to it
that the instrumentalities by which
the conditions of labor are improved
are not blocked or checked. That we
must do.'
"The autocratic action of our gov
ernment in these proceedings is of
such a nature that it staggers the
human mind. In a free country to
conceive of a government applying
for and obtaining a restraining order
prohibiting the officials of a labor
organization from contributing their
own money for the purpose of pro
curing food for women and children
that might be starving is something
that when known will shock the sen
siDiiities oz man and will cause re
sentment. Surely the thousands of
men who are lying in France, under
the soil; whose blood was offered for
the freedom or the world, never
dreamed that so' shortly afterward in
their own country 450,000 workers
endeavoring to better their working
conditions would have the govern
ment decide that they were not en
titled to the assistance of their fel
low men, and that their wives and
children should starve by order of
the government.
Action Held Unwarranted.
"It is a well-established principle
that the inherent purpose of the in
junction processes, where there is no
other adequate remedy at law, was
for the purpose of protecting prop
erty and property rights only, thereby
exercising the equity power of the
courts to prevent immediate and ir
reparable injury. It was never in
tended and there is no warrant of the
law in all our country to use the in
junction power of equity courts to
curtail personal rights or regulate
personal relations. It was never in
tended to take the place of govern
ment by law by substituting personal
and discretionary government.
"The Lever act provided its own
penalties for violators of its provi
sions. The injunction issued in this
case has for its purpose not a trial
by a court and jury, but an order of
the court predicated upon the assump
tion that the law might be violated
and by which the defendants may be
brought before the court for contempt
and without any trial by Jury.
"We declare that the proceedings
In this case are unwarranted as they
are unparalleled in the history of our
country, and we declare that it is -an
injustice which not only the workers
but air liberty-loving Americans wiU
repudiate and demand redress. The
citizenship of our country cannot af
ford to permit the establishment or
maintenance of a principle which
strikes at the very foundation of Jus
tice and freedom. To restore confi
dence in the institutions of our coun
try and the respect due the courts,
this injunction should be withdrawn
and the records cleansed from so out
rageous a proceeding.
"By all the facts in the case
miners' strike is justified. We
dorse It. We are convinced of
the
Justice of the miners' cause.
W
pledge to the miners the full sucDort
of the American Federation of Labor
and to appeal to the workers and the
citizenship of our country to give like
indorsement ad aid to the men en
gaged in this momentous struggle."
PEACE WITH RUSSIA HOPE
Lloyd George Wishes Better Suc
cess for Renewed Effort.
LONDON, Nov. 9. (By the Asso
ciated Press.) Premier Lloyd George,
speaking at the lord mayor's banquet
last night and referring to the su
preme council's effort at Russian
peace early this year said:
"I hope the time is not distant when
the powers will be able to renew the
attempt with better prospects of suc
cess. A Quinine Ttoat Doet Tfot Affeet Head
Because of its tonfo and laxative effect,
LAXAT1VB BBOWO QUININE (Tablets)
can be taken by anyone without caunins
nervousness or ringing in the head. There
in only one "Bromo Quinine." K. W.
UROVE'B sisntur on the box. 80c Adv.
S. & R L.eeu stamoa fo.- cash.
Ilolman fuel Co., Main 33, A 333.
Adv,
INDIANAPOLIS. Nov. 9. John L.
Lewis, acting president of the United .
Mine Workers of America, tonight de
nied that he had agreed to comply
with the order of the federal court
here yesterday to call off the strike
of bituminous coal miners of the
country after 6 P. M. next Tuesday,,
evening.
"Statements to the effect that I .
shall or shall not comply with the
mandatory proceeding of the injunc-,
tion writ are unauthorized and pre-
mature," he declared. ;
Mr. Lewis' declaration was maae in
view of a renorted statement of coun-
sel for the miners yesterday that Mr.
Lewis and Secretary-Treasurer Will-(
lam Green purposed to obey the ,
court's order but that they could not
speak for other officials". While Mr.
Lewis would not comment further on
the subject, others indicated that the
statement of the miners' attorney was
intended to show a willingness of the
two officials to call a meeting of the
international officers, district presi
dents, executive board and members
of the miners scale committee for to-
orrow to consider the court order.
Officials Are Reticent.
The meeting of union officials has
been set for 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning. Several of the district of
ficials. Including Frank Karrtngton,
president of the Illinois district, ar
rived today or tonight, but none or
them would make any statement.
The outcome of tomorrow s confer
ence Is problematical.
Many of the union men have con
tended ever since the strike wa
called that as the strike was ordered
by the full convention of the miners
in Cleveland only another convention
could authorise calling it off. An
other phase of the situation in con
nection with the court order presents
the question of what action the gov
ernment might take if the miners as
individuals refuse to obey an order
of officials rescinding the strike or
der. Government officials are tak
ing no action pending the expiration
of the time given the union chiefs
to withdraw the strike order.
C. B. Ames, assistant attorney-general,
in charge of the government's
proceedings against the mine work
ers, has returned to Washington. John
B. Vreighton, bureau of investigation
official, is still in Indianapolis and
with local government officials is
charged with enforcement of the
court's injunction.
The operators still maintain the at
titude adopted after the strike was
called that is, to reopen negotiations
as soon as the miners resume work.
LINCOLN. Neb.. Nov. 9. The coal
situation in Nebraska, particularly at
Lincoln and its suburbs became ex
tremely serious today. At Havelock
all the five dealers were sold out and
several families were without fuel.
At Bethany, another suburb, the sit
uation was equally serious.
MYSTERY MAY BE SOLVED
SCREAMS OF PUYALLUP WOM
AN HEARD BY COUPLE.
! J Location of Spot Where Mrs. Eliza
beth Bryan Was Murdered
Likely to Be Fixed.
SEATTLE, Wash., Nov. 9. New and
sensational evidence furnished to the
prosecuting attorney's office Satur
day by Kichard M. Buitle, deputy
county auditor, officials believe, may
solve the mystery as to the spot
where Mrs. Elizabeth Bryan of
Puyallup was murdered in the early
morning of October 20. Buttle told
how he and Mrs. Buttle left their
home at 1 A. M., October 20, when
they heard the screams of a woman
and traced the screams to a lot about
six blocks from the residence of Mrs.
Anna Nemitz and W. F. Ealy, her son,
who are charged with the murder.
The police have contended that Mrs.
Bryan was choked to death and her
body carried to the spot in Mount
Baker park where it was found eight
hours ' after the Buttles heard the
screams.
H. I. CURRY FUNERAL SET
Boom Tender, Drowned in Slough,
to Be Buried at Salem.
Herman I. Curry, boom tender at
the North Portland box factory, who
was drowned In Oregon slough Sat
urday night, wa a son of Mr. and
Mrs. William H. Curry, 1S17 Drum-
mond street in St. Johns.
The body is now at Chambers" un
dertaking parlors and will be sent
to Salem, where funeral services will
be held Wednesday afternoon. Inter
ment win De in tne i. u. u. f. ceme
tery there. Owing to the inability
of the authorities to secure reliable
information Saturday night following
tne trageay tne name ot tne man was
first reported as Robert Curry.
Australian Visits X-'niversity.
UNIVERSITY OP OREGON, Eugene,
Nov. 9. (Special.) Professor A. F.
Ludeweiczi, professor of Germanic
languages at the University of Mel
bourne. Australia, visited the Uni
versity of Oregon campus Friday. He
is on his way from Australia to visit
his home in Belgium, which he has
not seen in 15 years. He is traveling
through this country visiting a num
ber of the larger American universi
ties and observing methods of teach
ing. He left yesterday to visit the
University of .Washington.
Legion Ball to Be Big Affair.
ABERDEEN, Wash.. Nov. 9. (Spe
cial.) The preparations and the ad
vance sale of tickets indicate that the
American Legion ball Armistice day
ball, to be held at Electric Park
pavilion, will surpass in number of
Ca.ta.rrSi
Is a constitutional disease. Years of
use have proven the curative value of
the constitutional remedy. Hood's
Sarsaparilla, in the treatment of this
complaint. old and recommended by
druggists every where. Adv. - -
VICTROLA
New Victor Records demonstrated at all dealers on the
attendants any that have heretofore
been held on the harbor. Every man
who wore a uniform during the period
of the war has been requested to wear
it again on the evening of Novem
ber 11.
Aberdeen to Get Car of Sugar.
ABERDEEN. Wash., Nov. 9. (Spe
cial.) Word has been received here
that a carload of sugar is on the way
from San Francisco and will arrive
the first of the week. The sale of
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naming a Victor artist. The world's leading
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Victrolas $25 to $950
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sugar in 25-cent lots, however, will
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Aberdeen Contract Awarded.
ABERDEEN. Wash., Nov. 9. (Spe-
he
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FMCIIL
AMERICAN LEAD
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HIGH GRADE FINISHED WORK ROUGH DRY
ECONOMY FAMILY WORK WET WASH
1st of each month
ciaL) Three bids have been received
for the viaduct portion of the trestle
project at the east entrance of the
city. The Grays Harbor Building
company's bid was lowest, at $1:8,212.-
50 and ;30,236.a0. for iron nnrl ton-
I Crete railing respectively. The Grays
Lx&aesi Sellino
iialtii Pencil in
TT T- ri 9 :
PENCIL CO - N. Y,
KINDS OF LA UN Dili
f I EI k ? f Til I
(a i m i
Harbor Construction company bid
$29,37S.:5 and $30,291.43; August Wal
lln, $32,654.75 and $34,084.75. The city
engineer's estimate was $30,000 for
the Iron rail in ir.
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4