It was the summer of 1920, and the coal fields of southeastern Kansas stood on the brink of another labor showdown.
Less than a year after a bitter strike had gripped the region, union leaders were once again threatening to walk workers off the job, setting the stage for a renewed clash between miners, mine operators, and state authorities.
At the center of the dispute was a seemingly simple issue: fines imposed on miners who failed to report for work on Saturdays.
The threat of a new strike carried significance far beyond the coal towns around Pittsburg, Kansas. The previous year’s labor unrest had drawn national attention when Governor Henry J. Allen took a hard line against striking miners and encouraged the use of volunteer labor to keep the mines operating.
The confrontation became one of the most closely watched labor disputes of the post-World War I era.
As tensions mounted once again, both sides appeared ready for another battle.
New Strike of Coal Miners in Kansas Menace
PITTSBURG, Kansas. — A new strike of Kansas coal miners before the end of next week is impending, Alexander Howat, President of the Miners Union of the Kansas district announced today.
Howat declared the walkout would be the men’s protest against the company’s action in fining workers who failed to report on Saturdays.
The coal strike of last winter was broken in the Kansas district by the firm stand of Governor Henry J. Allen and continues operation of many of the mines by volunteer workers.
Source: The Alaska Daily Empire. Juneau, Alaska. July 24, 1920.
