Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 November 1919 — COAL STRIKE NEARING END [ARTICLE]

COAL STRIKE NEARING END

Is Belief if Washington Officials Who Ara Optomlstlc. FEDERAL INJUNCTION ISSUED Against Strike fjeaders Prevent* Their Directing the Strike and Ties Up Union’s Funds. The nation-wide -strike In the bituminous coal fields of th* country ordered by the officials of the union miners for Nov. 1, went into effect at midnight Friday night and practically all of th* soft coal mines are now closed a* a result, except the lignite mine* in North DakoU, the wagon mine* and the nonr-union mines, all of which latter comprise but a small per cent, of the soft coal fields. The government asked for and was granted a temporary injunction by Judge Anderson of the federal court of Indianapolis last Friday and the hearing on this injunction will come up next Saturday, at which time it will either b* made permanent or dissolved. The national offices of the miners ar* Jn Indianapolis and the injunction enjoins President Lewis and all the head officers of th* union from sending any letters, telegrams or verbal instructions regarding the conduct of the strike to their subordinates and also enjoins the paying out of any money from the treasury of the miners’ «union for relief or for any purposes connected with the strike. It is th£ most sweeping injunction ever issued, and the position taken by the government is that the rights of the people are paramount, and must •be protected as against any small group of persons. Dispatches from Washington yesterday were to the effect that the governmeint was firm in the belief that the strike' was nearing collapse. 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, numberling mor than 400,000 return to work. Confidential reports to the 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 eaid that large numbers of idle miners had declared they wanted to return to work, but were afraid.

In this connection officials reiterated that adequate protection would be given. There was no specific statement as to how this would 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 28 states, showed the first breaks~in the ranks of organized 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 nonunion mines and that there was 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 defections. Officials said the strikers realized public sentiment was against them and some labor leaders also were taking this view-