The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, November 15, 1919, Image 6
Attorney General Palmer Issues
Solemn Warning to Labor
Unions'
SAYS DISREGARD OF THE
LAW IS REBELLION
Strike is Plain Violation of Fed
eral Law and Government
Will Not Permit It
. Washington, Nov. 10.?Solemn
warning was given the United Mine
Workers of America tonigh by At
torney General Palmer that resolu
tions of conventions and orders of
officers of organizations are not above
the law.
Formal and final declaration of the
government's policy of dealing with
the coal strike was announced by the
attorney general, while officers of the
miners' organization at Indianapolis
were struggling with the question
how to answer the court's blunt and
peremptory command to rescind the
strike order.
. . : v Inscribing- the strike as a plain vi
olation of a federal statute. Mr. Pal
mer, speaking with full authority of
the government, announced that all
the power of the United States would
be exerted to enforce the mandate of
the court.
* Although no reference was made in
the attorney general's statement to
the pronouncement of organized la
bor, supporting the miners and de
manding withdrawal of injunction
proceedings, it v/?s evident that Mi.
.Palmer had that document in mind
and official Washington accepted his
declaration to mean that refusal of
.the miners to cancel their strike or
der would mean a fight to the bitter
end.
The statement of the attorney gen
eral, which was construed as a reply
,to the position of organized labor as
set forth last night by the American
Federation of Labor's executive coun
cil, follows:
"The coal strike is a plain viola
tion of a federal statute. This has
rbeen the* government's position from
the start. The president declared it
to be unlawful and the court, after
full hearing, has now declaired it to
be unlawful.
"AI? I can say is that the law will
he enforced. This same law has been
enforced many times and the depart
ment of justice has other cases now
pending which were brought under
it. The merits of the controversy be
tween the operators and the miners
are not involved in the court proceed
ings at Indianapolis, neither is the
right to strike. Nothing that the gov
ernment has done is intended or de
signed to have any effect upon the
recognized right of labor to or
ganize, to bargain collectively through
its unions, and under ordinary indus
trial conditions to walk out by con
cerned action.
**The proposal by the president of a
peaceful settlement of the matters at
issue between the operators and the i
miners, through negotiation or arbi- j
tration. was rejected and the govern
ment, therefore, faced the alternative J
of submitting to the demands of a j
single group to the irreparable injury
of the whole people, or of challenging
the assertion by that group of power
greater than that of the government
itself. ,
"Confronted with such a choice, the
government's duty was perfectly
clear; it refused to surrender to the
dictation of a group and it proposes
to assert its power to protect itself
and the people, whom it is designed to,
serve. The government is no respec
ter of persons in the enforcement of
the law. Those who conceive that
the resolution of a convention or the
orders of the officers of any organiza
tion in the country, whether labor or
ganization or any other, are superior
in authority to the law of the bind
will find themselves mistaken.
*T assume that the order of the
court will be obeyed. The president's
offer for a peaceful settlement lr- still
open and I hope that the miners aad
operators will now get together and
EeTtle their controversy."
There was no attempt in official or
labor circles tonight to conceal the
feeling that the situation was ex
tremely grave and getting beyond the
question of a coal strike. This was
due to the belief that the miners ap
parently were not of one mind on the
question of making a quick reph to
the court.
All day word from the Indianapolis
. meeting was waited with intens<- in
terest and anxiety. Some labor lead
ers had predicted that the mandatory i
order would not be complied with and J
that the strike order would stand un- j
til passed upon by the same delegate i
convention which arbitrarily fixed the j
date for the nationwide walkout un- !
less specific demands were granted
by November 1.
The action of the executive council
of the American Federation of Labor
upholding the strike, pledging sup
port to the strikers and denouncing
the government's injunction suit, was
variously interpreted. While officers
of the federation refused to add one
word by way of explanation or to in
terpret its meaning in view of tin
feeling in some quarters that it was
designed to back up the strikers, it
was attacked in the floor of the .?-? n
ate and emphasized there that under
the food control law injunctions could
legally issue against strikers inter
rupting the nation's food and fuel
supply.
Only a few reports came in from
tb^ <-oal fields and these showed the
situation generally unchanged, with
miners waiting to see what orders
they ? would get from Indianapolis.
Government plans went forward as
heretofore, with the fuel administra
tion and the railroad administration I,
hand in hand to move coal and dis- j
tribute it where most needed. j.
Reports that a roaring blizzard was!
j No Agreement Reached at Morn
ing Session of Mine
I Officials
WILL THEY DEFY THE
ORDER OF U. S. COURT
j Some of the Union Officials on
Record in Favor of Defying
Mandate of Court
Indianapolis. Nov. 10.?No agree
mon: had been reached by officials o?
th?? [rallied Mine Workers of America
in coulerence here today tc consider
the order of the Federal Court Satur
day to call off the strike of the coal
miners, when they adjourned at 0
o'clock this evening. Delegates s?;i<l
no votf had be-.-n taken.
The union heads, who include inter
national officers, district president? and
i members of the executive board and
scale committee, resumed their delib
erations at 7:30 tonight, but it was
the general belief that no formal ac
tion would be taken before tomorrow.
I In view of the provision of the court
order, instructing the miners' chiefs to
present to the court for approval their
order withdrawing the strike call of
Oct. 15 within 72 hours it was pre
dicted tonight tr-at no announcement
would be made by the miners before
the expiration of the same. The court
order was signed at 12:25 p. m. Sat
urday, therefore the union officials
must report to 'he court by that time
tomorrow.
Although today's meeting was clos
ed and extraordinary measures w^re
taken to prevent the proceedings from
becoming public, it was ascertained
from disconnected remarks dropped
by delegates as they left the hall for
lunch and dinners that the discussion
brought out wide divergence of opin ?
ion as to what course the coal workers
should pursue v/ith regard to the or
der of the court.
Alexander Howat, president of the
Kansas district, remarked to Frank
Farrington, president of the Illinois
district, as they passed newspaper
men:
"That was a good speech you made
Frank. I agree with it fully."
Mr. Howat. before leaving Kansas
for the conference here, gave out a
statement in which he declared that
"regardless of injunction, prisons and
judges,", he intended to fight.
"It isn't a question of going to jail.
These;, men have no fear of that. What
they are debatinw is the welfare of the
United Mine Workers as affected by
the court order requiring the strike
order io be rescinded. They are de
bating, tqo. whether they should take
a position that would he a stand
against the attitude of the federal gov
ernment."
John L. Lewis, acting president of
the niine workers, at the close of the
session today, said:
"We haven't a thing to give out\at
this time."
Other officials and delegates adopt
ed the same attitude.
There was every indication that the
majority of the mine workers are de
termined to weigh carefully all phases
of the issue before taking any steps
toward disobedience of the strike or
der. Most of the delegates are men
past middle age and their demeanor in
passing to and fro from the conven
tion hall indicated that, they were giv
ing careful consideration to the argu
ment.
The only action of *.he government:
today in conection with the strike i
was the serving of 2>> copies of the:
temporary injunction issued Saturday.
Those served were men whom federal!
agents failed to reach with the origi- j
nal restraining order. The writs
served are returnable December 1, in
stead of^ November 20, the date on
which the original orders are return
able.
At 10:20 o'clock tonight delegates
intercepted in the corridors adjoining
the convention hall said that thej
miners' general committee expected to!
stay in continuous session until some'?
decision was reached and one man j
predicted that this would not occur j
before 2 a. m. It was stated, however, j
that should the delegates agree it was j
not liKely any statement would be;
made before tomorrow.
MUST SHARE
THE BURDENS j
Balfour Speaks on League of ;
Nations
I
I
London.<?v. 11.? Former Foreign
Minister Balfour in opening the I
League of Nations campaign today j
declared the future of the League I
would be dark unless all powers. \
particularlv Great Britain, were pre- !
pared to take equal share in burd us
the League east upon them.
Tampa. Fla., Nov. 11.?The annual:
Convention of the United Daughters
of the Confederacy opened today. <
Delegates from all parts of the coun
try arc attending the meeting.
sweeping out of the Northwest was a '
disquieting bit of news received during'
the day. officials realizing that a week
of cool weather would cut deeply into
reserve coal stocks and make condi
tions critical unless the men ? return j
immediately to work.
The executive council was in s"s- j
sion today, but no statement was giv- :
en out after adjournment. There was
a report that the council had decided
to issue a call, probably tomorrow,
for union mass meetings in various,
cities, and when Frank Morrison, sec-h
retary of the Federation of Labor was
asked about it he said:
"I cannot confirm it."
CELEBRATION OF
President Wilson, Secretary Ba
ker and General Pershing
' Issue Statements
A GREAT DAY IN HIS
TORY OF COUNTRY
Some of the-Reasons Why Pco
pie of America Should Observe
; the Day
Washington; Nov. 10.?President
Wilson. General Pershing and Secre
tary linker today issued statements to
the American people on the occasion
of the first anniversary of the sign
ing of the armistice.
The President said to Americans
the reflections of Armistice Day would
be filled with solemn pride in the he
roism of those who died in the coun
try's service and with gratitude for
the victory both because of "the thing
from which it has freed us. and be
cause of the opportunity it has given
America to show her sympathy with
peace and justice in the councils of
the nations."
The exercise by the American peo
ple of practical patriotism during the
war General Pershing said, was an
avowal of their firm adherence to the
principles of free government that
will continue to have great influence
upon the progressive thought through
out the world.
i Secretary Baker said that while
mourning its dead, the nation was
; grateful for their achievement and
!for that of their living brothers and
ithat "in the name of both we may
ihopo for an early accomplishment of
the terms of peace that shall com
plete their work upon the battle
!fields of France."
! President Wilson's message fol
I lows:
iTo My Fellow Countrymen:
A year ago today our enemies laid
[down their arms in accordance with
an armistice which rendered them
I impotent to renew hostilities, and gave
fto the^world an assured opportunity
to reconstruct its shattered order and
ito work out in peace a new and juster
set of international relations. The
soldiers and people of the. European
Allies had fought and endured for
more than four years to uphold the
barrier of civilization against the ag
gressions of armed force. We our
selves had been in the conflict some
thing more than a year and a half.
I With splendid forgetfulness of mere
personal concerns we remodeled our
industries, concentrated our financial
resources, .increased our agricultural
! output, and assembled a great army,
'so that at the last our power was a de
cisive factor in the victory. We were
able to bring the vast resources, ma
terial and moral, of a great and free
people to the assistance of our asso
ciates in Europe who had suffered and
sacrificed without limit in the cause
for which they fought.
Out of this victory there arose new
possibilities of political freedom and
economic concert. The war showed
us the strength of great nations act
ing together for high purposes, and
the victory of arms foretells the en
during conquests which can be made
in peace when nations act justly and
in furtherance of the common inter
ests of men. To us in America, the
reflections of Armistice Day will be
filled with solemn pride in the hero
ism of those who died in the coun
try's service, and with gratitude for
the victory both because of the thing
from which it has freed us. and be
cause of the opportunity it has given
America to show her sympathy with
peace and justice in the councils of
nations.
WOODROW WILSON.
The White House,
11 November, 1919.
General Pershing made this state
ment:
On the first anniversary of the arm- !
istice that brought fighting to an end !
on the Western Front, we recall with '
gratification the services of the army [
and the country in the war. The j
great army of young manhood known ?
as American Expeditionary Forces was j
hurriedly raised, equipped and trained
to meet a grave world crisis. Com- j
posed of youth, selected for their phy- |
sical and their mental fitness, it was j
developed into as fine a body of men j
as the world has ever seen. This I
force played a decisive part in the war '
and demonstrated that, while we are j
not a military nation, the American j
boy has in him those qualities that
go to make up a perfect soldier. The :
achievements of our troops on the |
battlefields of Prance have become a !
part of our1 history, and need not be
again recounted here. Their patriot-1
ism prompted a spirit of self-sacrir :
lice unequalled; th<-ir services have)
preserved our ideals and our institu-1
t ions.
Our armies have been demobilized.!
and our citizen soldiers have returned i
again to civil pursuits with assurance
of their ability to achieve therein, the j
success attained as soldiers. thus ;
bringing a new asset to the nation', j
With broadened visions they re- j
turn not onlv ?. i t h pride m the high;
standards oi American manhood, but!
with a new conception <>f its rela- ;
tions i" the duties of eiti:-??nship.
As we pay tribute to our fighting
men, we remember that solidly behind
them stood the American people with
all our resources and our determina- \
lion. This common service has weld-!
i'd together our people. These ex- !
periences safeguard the future of j
America, and enable us to look for- j
ward confidently to the development
oi a stronger nationality and a deeper'
sense of 'bo obligations that rest upon .
is. The exercise by the American !
people of practical patriotism during
the war was an avowal of our firm '
tdherence to the principles of free
government that will continue to have; .
;reat influence upon tin- progressive*^
hou.^ht throughout the world. These J
E R
Material
Flooring, T 1 Brick,
ceiling, JLiisxifoerhAtncr
Siding, *-?W4i*WV* r-Cement,
Casing. Plaster,
Mouldings, Fire Brick.
Framing Lumber, Firo Clay,
Red Cedar Shingles, Sewer Pipe,
Pine and Cypress Shingles. Stove Flue,
Metal and Composition Shingles,Terra Cotta Thimbles
Doors. Sash and Blinds, Mortar Colors and Stains
Perch Columns and Ballasters, Water Proofing Mineral.
Beaver Beard. Corrugated Metal Roofing,
Vallcj Tin and Ridge Roll. Asbeios and Composition R<K>fing.
Locks,
Hinges,
Nails,
Grates,
Saws,
Hatchets.
Hammers,
Door Hangers,
Carpenter's Tools,
Paint Brashes,
Paints and Oils,
Inside Decorations,
Calsomines and Cold Water Paints,
Hardware,
Paints, Oiis
WIRK FENCING, IRON AND WOOD POSTS
EVERYTHING FOR THE HOUSE
Booth & McLeod, Inc.
SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA
are things which make this day sig
nificant.
i John .T. Pershing. General. U. S. A. j
I Secretary Baker's message was asj
i follows:
I A year ago the terse message came '
! from Gcnerai Pershing: "In accord
jance with th.- terms of the Armistice,
? hostilities on the front of the Ameri
can armies were suspended at 11
i o'clock this morning." We await now
jthe peace that is to come as the fru
jition of the work of our farspread
forces. Meanwhile their number have
'.dwindled and the forces which ap
peared beyond the seas in numbers
surprising, friends and foes alike, have!
? gone back again to their civilian
[tasks. Some of their number unhap-i
jpily remain in Prance, or will be
borne back to America as symbols of
the sacrifice that war entails. While
we mourn these dead, we are grate
ful for their achievement and for that
of their living brothers, and in the
jname of both we may hope for an
[early accomplishment of the terms
:of peace that shall finally complete
.their work upon the battlefields of
j France.
NEWTON D. BAKER.
I YOUNG ST?DFNT
PASSES AWAY
j _
iCrarles Wl Stansill Succumbs to
Cerebro Spinal Meningitis
} Charier-; W. Stansill, Jr.. student at
|the Columbia high school, died at the1
t Columbia! hospital early yesterday af-,
! ternoon of corebro-spinal meningitis
j after being ill only four days. Young
i Stansiil was the son of C. W. Stansill.
j now of Birmingham. Ala., hut had :
! made his home with his grandmother.;
Mrs. Sarah B. Glass. 131? Bull street.'
since the d- .ui of his mother several i
years ago. His mother was before her!
marriage. Miss Julia Glass, of Colum-j
bia. His father was formerly of Co
! lumbia.
j IZr Stansill was apparently in the:
j best of health until last Friday after
I noon when he complained of being
j sick. He was carried to his home and.
?later removed to the Columbia hospi-.
tal. His case was diagnosed as cere- j
bro-spjnal meningitis by physicians!
Sunday. i
Stansill was a member of the tenth'
grade at the high school and was an j
apt pupil. He was a member of the1
First Baptist church and an active'
worker in the Boy Scouts. He has
many friends among the high school,
students and throughout the city who j
are grieved at his death. While attend- j
ring school he continued to work forj
j H. W. Brooker's filling station, whore
[he had boon emp1oyed during the sum- ;
Imer, doing his work in the afternoon.!
He wa s i c, years of a ge.
C. W. Stansill arrived in Columbia
yesterday afternoon and win accom
pany the rema in-; to Sum tor today, j
where they will be laid to rest.?The'
State. Nov. 11. !
BERGER DENIED
CONGRESS SEAT;
Socialist Member Declared Ineli-j
gible For Ecdv
* !
Washington. Nov. 1^.?Victor L. j
Berger, Milwaukee, Socialist, was de- j
nied his seat in the house today by j
an overwhelming vdte. the house j
holding lie was ineligible for mem- j
bership because of his open opposi- i
lion to the war. The vote to unseat ,
Berger was 300 to l, Representative!
Voigt, Republican, Wisconsin, being,
the only member to support the wis- j
cousin Socialist either during debate!
or on the roll call.
After denying the seat to Berger s
the house declared that the seat was,'
vacant, holding thai Joseph P. Car- j
ney. Dem od rat. who contested Bei*- j
ger's election did not receive a plu- :
rality in the election last year. With- U
out a record vote, the house also di- '
rected Speaker Gillett to notify the P
Wisconsin governor of the -vacancy in 1
the state delegation so that a special;*
election may be called to choose a :
new member.
Milwaukee, Nov. 10.?Gov. E. V. \
Phillip, of Wisconsin when notified to- j
night of Victor L. Berger's expulsion:
from congress announced he would
call for a special election mithin a 1
few days to till the vacancy. ? j
MEETS DEATH
ON FERRY BOAT
Philadelphia. Nov. 11 .?Three tii'ii p
wen- killed and dozen persons in
jured when a tug crashed into a 1
crowded ferry boat on the Delaware pi
river here today. ' -
TO DEPORT RADI
CALS AT ONCE
Proceedings Have Been Started
Against Red Leaders
Washington, Nov. ]0.?Deportation
[proceedings have been instituted in a
number of cities to 3 id the country
of the violent radicals caught in the
{nation-wide raids which have been in
{progress since Friday, Attorney G>u
jeral Palmer announced tonight.
I Instructions have gone to all de
partment of Justice agents, the At
torney General said to permit no de
lay in instituting formal hearings pre
liminary to actual deportation. As
' kuranees have been received from
other government departments having
|to do with deportations that action
iwould be taken to expedite the cases.
In the meantime the clean-up of
:the country will continue. Mr. Pal
'mer announced tonight that .there
must be '"no let up." The total num
.ber actually held on deportation war
rants had reached 39J tonight, while
from some cities in which radical
leaders were picked up reports had
? not reached the department.
Efforts of the department represen
tatives, .it was said, arc being direct
ed more particularly at the Union
of Russian Workers. This organiza
tion, branded by the Attorney Gen
eral as the most dangerous anarchis
tic group in the country, was said to
{have wide ramifications with the de
partment agents still uncovering new
evidences of activities.
Opinion at the Department of Jus
tice as expressed today seemed to be
that the Russian union perhaps was
constituting itself a self-appointed
deader of all organizations which are
preaching overthrow of the govern
ment. Literature seized was said to
show that the organization accepts
support from almost any source so
long as it was working to defeat au
thority and 'destroy private property
rights. Officials said they had evi
dence showing that leaders of the
union had made overtures to other
and lesser groups of radicals to join
their organization, holding out prom
ises of rewards when State and so
ciety are overthrown.
Because th'-y are considered the
most dangerous radical types, those
arrested in tin- recent raids are be
ing held in $10,000 bail, officials said,
Peter Bianki and Adolph Schnabel,
both former secretaries of the Union
of Russian "Workers, have been held
in bail of $15.000.
The following list given out by the
Department of Justice shows the num
ber of persons held on deportation
warrants in the various cities: New- j
ark. 32; Baltimore. 9: Akron, 32; j
Monessen, Pa.. 20; Pittsburgh, 5;
Cleveland. IS; Buffalo, 14; Philadel
phia. 2i>: Trenton, 1; Hartford. 14f>;
Now York, 39; Chicago, 7; Detroit,
59.
STOCK MARKET
LOOKS BRIGHTER
Calling Off of Strike Has Good
Effect on Stocks
New York. Nov. 11?Rescinding the
coal strike order imparted a bouyant
tone to stocks at the opening of to
day's stock market. Gains of two \o
six points were made by the leading
stocks, notably steels, equipments, oils
and motors. Bails and shipping and J
numerous miscellaneous issues shared
in the advance. j
TO REOPEN
NEGOTIATIONS I
Mine Owners Are Ready to j
Treat With Miners
I
Indianapolis. Nov. 11.?The recall
strike order will open the way immed
ately for a resumption of negotiations
?etweon the miners and operators, as
he operators have announced that
hey are ready to consider a new wage i
igreement any time after strike orderj
tvas withdrawn.
RIOTS IN IRELAND
IYoops and Civilians Fight in j
I
Streets of Cork j;
Cork. Nov. 21.?Constant collisions j
between military and civilians culmi- -
aated in serious rioting last nigh*
vhen the soldiers, enraged on account
->;' the frequent attacks on them, broke,
through the police lines and came,
nto conflict with the crowd. The po-j1
lice eventually dispersed the crowd.]?>
\oito was seriously injured. 'i
FACTIONS MUST
GET TOGETHER
-
President Wilson Will Call on
Miners and Operators to
Settle Differences
Washington, Nov. 11.?President
I Wilson will probably telegraph both
i the miners' union officials and coal
[operators asking them to get together
'and settle their differences, it was said
[ today at the White House. At the
j same time the President will prob
! ably renew his offer of the services
of the government toward mediation.
While plainly showing their relief,
I administration officials said the ac
I lion of the officers in-voting to obey
the court mandate was'expected.
Officials of the American Federation
of Labor refused to comment on the
situation.
OHIO AGAINST
PROHIBITION
Majority Against Ratifying
Federal Amendment ?
Columbus, O., Nov. ll.^-Ohio last
Tuesday voted against ratifying the
Federal prohibition amendment by a
majority of (HI, according to the com
plete official returns received by the
Secretary- of State. Wk
PRINCE ARRIVES
IN WASHINGTON
Prince of Wales Will Spend
Three Days in Capital
j Washington, Nov. 11.?The Prince
of Wales arrived in Washington to
day for a three day visit.
SMALL POWERS
ARE RECOGNIZED
Paris, Nov. 11.?Representatives of
j the small powers are to be included in
j the mixed tribunal.; appointed to
! judge persons guilty of offt ses under
the common law as provided in the
German peace treaty, the Supreme
Council decided today.
PLOT AGAINST
TURK SULTAN
Berlin. Nov. 11.?A plot to depose
Hie Sultan of Turkey has been dis
covered, says a Constantinople dis
patch dated Monday, which reached
here today.
SIN FEINERS
ARE ARRESTED
Dublin, Nov. 11.?Sinn Fein Parla
ment was raided today by the au
thorities and nine members of it were
arrested.
ARMISTICE DAY.
Pursuant to Mayor Jennings' proc
Imiatio.'-. issued Monday aftern ? ?n.
business was practically suspended in
;:. s city Tuesday, ner.r'v all the storrs
and business offices being closed
throughout the day. Owing to the
short notice and the further fact that
no preliminary arrangements had
been made for the observance of the
day, there was some confusion and
;i number of stores were opened at the
usual hour in Lhe morning, but withi'v
a short time the merchants fell into
line and their businesses wore closed.
There was no concerted attempt to
commemorate the anniversary of the
cessation of fighting in Europe, but
the people as a whole have observed
the day as one of quiet and thanksgiv
ing and rejoicing that the world is no
longer oppressed and ravaged with
ihr struggle of great armies.
The day was one of particular sad
ness for a very large number of the
citizens of this city and county, for
Loday at Stateburg was held the Cu
ural services of Major Harrison
?'aunders. who bravely did his part in
he great struggle overseas, and then
lost his life in an airplane accident
,vhi;e <>n duty with thr> aviation serv
ce at Fort Sill. Oklahoma.
Special services will be held this
?venin:' at Trinity Methodist church,
notice of which is given elsewhere
rhe public is invited to attend these
?ervices which are held in commem
oration of the day.