Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 266, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1919 — BELIEVE STRIKE NEAR COLLAPSE [ARTICLE]

BELIEVE STRIKE NEAR COLLAPSE

LACK OF DISORDER AND MANY DEFECTIONS IN UNION ARE REASONS. Zg-.-.—. HE Washington, Nov. * 3.—Official Washington was firm in the belief tonight that the end of the coal strike was near. There was nothing definite or tangible in the way of actual developments to justify this hopeful view of the situation, but everywhere the feeling prevailed that influences were being brought to bear to have the strikers, numbering more than 400,000, return to work. Confidential reports to £he department of justice from its agents in the coal fields were said to show many defections from the ranks of the strikers. Some of the reports said that large' numbers of idle miners had declared they wanted to return to w'ork, but were afraid. In this connection officials reiterated that adequate protection would be given. There was no specific statement as to how this woifld be provided, but it was explained that troops would be. available at the call of any governor who believed it necessary to .preserve order to protect workers. Scattered reports from the fields, reaching into twenty-eight states, showed the first breaks in the ranks of organised labor in West Virginia and Colorado. Advices to Washington headquarters of the operators said that all non-union mines were working to full capacity and turning out considerably more coal than on Saturday. Some of the operators’ reports said that union men had gone to work, in non-union mines and that there was a growing sentiment that the men themselves should have had-the right to Vote on the strike before it was ordered.

This information to a large exTent was in line with that received •by the government, especially as to Officials said the strikers realized that public sentiment was against them and some labor leaders also were taking this view. Attorney General Palmer, handling the main end of the government’s case, went to Pennsylvania tonight, feeling, it was said, that the crisis might be over before Saturday, the day on which the temporary injunction restraining officers of the miners’ organization from activity was made returnable. Asked what the government would do on that day, an officer said: “We will not cross that bridge until we get to it.” The fact that no disorder was reported anywhere by department of justice agents was taken as a good sign that conditions were hopeful and that the miners realized that it was a time for sober judgment and action. While it had been the government’s first reported intention to let the strike wear itself out, hope of settling it put all agencies to work,; and some direct steps were taken, but their nature was not disclosed. ■’*