A.A. Graham to Governor Henry J. Allen
Creator: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Date: December 11, 1919
Attorney A.A. Graham writes Governor Henry Allen with a model for the proposed industrial court that expands the authority of the Public Utilities Commission. The governor has called a special session of the Kansas Legislature to end labor strikes and resolve industrial disputes.

ACME mine volunteer personnel
Date: December 5, 1919
In this document, the names of 31 volunteers assigned to the Acme Mine are listed. Included is the date they arrived for work in Pittsburg, Kansas, and the date they reported to the mine for work. These volunteers were recruited from surrounding areas to replace mine workers who refused to return to work following state takeover. In November 1919, the Kansas supreme court granted authority to the state of Kansas to operate the mines. This followed a series of strikes in the area. Court appointed receivers were put in place to operate the mines during this period. The state takeover lasted until mid- December when labor leaders in the area agreed to return mine workers to their jobs.

A. E. Gillett to Governor Henry J. Allen
Creator: Gillett, A.E.
Date: December 19, 1919
In this letter, Mayor A. E. Gillett of Bartlett, Kansas, writes to Kansas Governor Henry J. Allen, of Topeka, asking his assistance in getting a car load of coal for the schools. Following a series of coal strikes in southeast Kansas, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state securing and operating the coal mines for a period of time. Coal operations were delayed following seizure of the minefields. Volunteers were called in to complete mine operations after miners refused to return to work. The court appointed "receivers" to oversee all coal deliveries and payments during this period.

A. H. Gufler to Governor Henry Allen
Creator: Gufler, A. H
Date: December 22, 1919
In this letter, grocer A. H. Gufler writes the governor about the dangers of "anti-profiteering." The governor has called for a special legislative session to address labor disputes and had received many letters on the matter. In this correspondence, Gufler includes an article published in Collier's Weekly that compares the working family in 1880 and 1921.

Alexander Howat interview
Creator: Topeka Journal
Date: April 12 - 14, 1921
In this series of articles, Alexander Howat, president of the Kansas miners, pleads the cause of organized labor and denounces the newly created Kansas Court of Industrial Relations in an interview with Topeka Journal staff reporters. The reporters were Wm Huggins, Jr, son of the current Court of Industrial Relations judge, and Mildred Reed, daughter of a former judge.

Allen and Gompers debate letters
Creator: Colliers Magazine
Date: November 27, 1920
In these letters submitted to the Colliers Magazine, Kansas Governor Henry Allen and Samuel Gompers, of the American Federation of Labor, continue the debate over the Kansas Court of Industrial Relations and workers' right to strike. The letters were written two months after the Allen-Gompers debate on the strike issue held in Carnegie Hall New York.

A. M. Fury to Governor Henry J. Allen
Creator: Fury, A.M.
Date: December 18, 1919
A. M. Fury of the Robinson Grain Company in Palco, Kansas, writes to Governor Henry Allen, of Topeka, requesting a car of threshing coal. At the time of this writing, Kansas communities had already been without coal for a number of weeks following a series of coal strikes. In November, 1919, the Kansas Supreme Court gave the state control of the coal fields. Governor Allen set up office in Pittsburg during this period. Volunteers were called in from surrounding areas to begin coal mining operations when the striking mine workers refused to return to work following the takeover.

A.M. Meyers to Governor Henry Allen
Creator: Meyers, A.M.
Date: December 31, 1919
In this letter, Meyers outlines ten items that he suggests would "fix" the proposed industrial court legislation. The legislation would have a tribunal decide on labor problems between employers and their employees.

An act making appropriation to pay for per diem and milage...
Creator: Kansas Senate Ways and Means Committee
Date: 1919
The Senate Ways and Means Committee, Kansas Legislature, drafts legislation for payment of individual reimbursement for listed Senate members during the Kansas special special legislative session 1919. The governor had called a special session to ratify an amendment to the United States constitution giving women the right to vote.

A.P.Barrett to Governor Allen
Creator: Barrett, A.P.
Date: January 9, 1920
A.P.Barrett, of Pratt, Kansas, writes to Governor Henry Allen, of Topeka, congratulating him on the "good fight" and expressing gratitude for his work in developing the industrial court. The Kansas Court of Industrial Relations was created in 1920 to mediate between labor and industry. The court was abolished in 1925.

Art Welch to Governor Henry Allen
Creator: United Mine Workers of America
Date: January 4, 1920
Art Welch, secretary to Local Union 960, Mulberry, Kansas, writes to Governor Allen opposing the proposed Court of Industrial Relations. The legislation would have a tribunal decide on labor problems between employers and their employees. Unions throughout the state generally opposed the creation of an "industrial court" that opposed the right to strike. This proposed legislation, Senate bill 1, successfully passed both the house and senate and became law in January 1920.

A.S. Wilson to Henry J. Allen
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1919-1923 : Allen)
Date: January 24, 1919
A.S. Wilson, an attorney in Galena, Kansas, writes to Governor Henry J. Allen to indicate his interest in a law that would allow second class cities to separate the schools based on "white and colored children." He included a petition with signatures with the letter.

B. S. Gaitskill and C. D. Sample to Clyde M. Reed
Creator: Gaitskill, B.S.
Date: December 6, 1919
In this telegram, B. S. Gaitskill and C. D. Sample, court appointed receivers, tell Clyde Reed, secretary to Kansas Governor Henry J. Allen, of Topeka, of the following places where shipments of coal have gone. Coal mine operations in southeast Kansas stopped due to labor strikes and the state took control of the mines. Volunteers carried out the day-to-day work. During this period, court appointed receivers directed all activities.

C. D. Samples and B. S. Gaitskill to Clyde Reed
Creator: Sample C.D.
Date: December 10, 1919
C. D. Sample and B. S. Gaitskill, court appointed receivers during the state takeover of the southeast Kansas coal fields, telegram Clyde Reed, secretary to Kansas Governor Henry J. Allen, of Topeka, requesting engineers to operate steam shovels. The state has called on volunteers to take the place of mine workers who refused to return to work after the state takeover of the mines. Many workers volunteering to help during this time were inexperienced. This caused delays in coal operations and deterioration in some of the mine fields.

Clyde Reed to Cryus Dudley
Creator: Reed, Clyde Martin, 1871-1949
Date: December 17, 1919
In this letter, Clyde Reed, secretary of Governor Arthur Capper, tells Cyrus Dudley, mayor of Preston, Kansas, that a shipment of coal has been delivered under emergency. "There is no way it can be changed after coal has been shipped." The state took over operations of the southeast Kansas coal fields following several labor disputes that resulted in a mine workers' strike. To remedy the problem during the winter of 1919, the Kansas State Supreme Court granted authority to operate the mines to the state of Kansas. Volunteers were called in to man the mines during this period. Frequent exchanges such as this occurred when coal deliveries to communities were delayed or unsatisfactory coal shipments were received. In this telegram, Mr. Reed tells the mayor to increase his stock of coal while there is opportunity.

Clyde Reed to Maude Younger correspondence
Creator: Reed, Clyde Martin, 1871-1949
Date: June 5, 1919 to June 12, 1919
Clyde Reed, secretary to Kansas Governor Henry Allen of Topeka, Kansas, writes to Maude Younger of the National Woman's Party in Washington D.C. advising her of a special session of the Kansas legislature for the purpose of ratifying the woman's right to vote. On June 5, 1919, Miss Younger, Chairman of the Lobby Committee, had appealed to Governor Allen in calling a special session for purposes of ratifying the suffrage amendment saying, "This struggle has already taken forty-one years of sacrifice."

Colored citizens of Winfield County to Governor Henry Justin Allen
Creator: Colored citizens of Winfield Cowley County, Kansas
Date: October 6, 1919
The colored citizens of Winfield (Cowley County) sent Governor Henry Allen of Topeka, Kansas, a resolution condemning the racial discrimination occurring in Kansas and the United States in 1919. The resolution asks the Governor to use his power to reverse these conditions. The resolution cites the Negro community's allegiance and loyal service to the U. S. Government, especially during World War I, as one reason supporting their right to equal citizenship.

D. A. Banta to Governor Henry Allen
Creator: Banta, D. A.
Date: December 31, 1919
D. A. Banta, a district judge from Great Bend, writes Kansas Governor Henry Allen, of Topeka, about the proposed industrial court legislation. In the letter, Judge Santa tells the governor he has had opportunity to read the initial draft of the legislation and offers suggestions on how the document may be improved. The Court of Industrial Relations was created by special session of the Kansas legislature in 1920. During its viability, the court presided over several employee/employer disputes. In 1923 the law was declared unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court. The court was abolished in 1925.

Decision of U.S. Supreme Court blow to Kansas
Creator: Topeka Journal
Date: April 13, 1925
"Hours of labor in packing houses and other industries cannot be regulated by states through commissioners or industrial courts" is the decision handed down by the United States Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the Kansas Court of Industrial Relations.

Direct action
Creator: The Kansas City Post
Date: 1920
In this speech, Kansas Governor Henry Allen declares the public is through being made the "goat" and there "will be knocking together of heads that will resound throughout the ages unless there is a speedy adjustment of the industrial conditions?" The governor's remarks came after a disruptive coal mine strike that led, in part, to the creation of the Kansas Court of Industrial Relations to arbitrate labor issues.

E.H. Murdock to Governor Henry Allen correspondence and miscellaneous
Creator: Murdock, E.H.
Date: December 27, 1919
E.H. Murdock sends Governor Allen suggestions "to protect the CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES against the enormous expense and inconvenience of strikes…" Suggestions,such as this, were frequently received by Governor Allen prior to introduction of legislation creating the Court of Industrial Relations. Allen's opposition to labor strikes as a means of settling disputes and the proposed legislation to end the need for strikes was publicized widely throughout the country. This lead to a high volume of correspondence on the issue, both pro and con.

Ethel Franklin to Governor Henry Allen
Creator: Franklin, Ethel
Date: June 18, 1919
Ethel Franklin of the Telephone Operators Union at Horton, Kansas, writes to Kansas Governor Henry Allen of Topeka informing him of the telephone operators plan to strike if certain matters are not settled including wages, disruptive and irregular work schedules, and lack of overtime pay. She asked the governor his advice on seeking overtime pay for Sundays and holidays.

Eugene T. Lowther World War I letters to family members
Creator: Lowther, Eugene
Date: 1917-1919
This collection of World War I letters was written by Eugene T. Lowther to his parents or his sister Kathleen (Tattie). Lowther (1893-1969) grew up in Emporia, Kansas, attended Kansas University, and worked for the Emporia Gazette. He served in the 35th Division, 137 Infantry, Company G, though he later changed to the headquarters company. He was at Camp Doniphan at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, from Oct. 1, 1917, through April 16, 1918. The early letters generally discuss the mail he has received, including newspapers and newspaper clippings, mention people he has seen from Emporia, and the boxes he has received with cookies, etc. He worked as a clerk and occasionally was near the fighting. He writes about support from the Red Cross and the Y.M.C.A. And mentions that Henry J. Allen and W. Y. Morgan came to Europe to support the troops through these organizations. He spent about 4 months in Paris at the end of the war and describes the various places he visited. He studied at the Sorbonne and includes a few French phrases in his letters. He attended a number of operas. He calls the Germans "Bosche" and makes derogatory remarks about the French people. The letters make numerous references to "Cal" (Calvin Lambert) who was one of Gene's best friends and who also worked at the Gazette. There are a few references to William Allen White (Mr. White), editor of the Emporia Gazette, and several to Billy White (William Lindsey), who was a friend of Gene's. There is one letter to the Gazette staff. He writes about hearing President Woodrow Wilson give a speech at a soldiers' cemetery near Paris on Memorial Day, 1919. He also writes about a Labor Day riot in Paris and about strikes by transportation workers. He collected a lot of postcards which he sent home from time to time. The first item in the collection is a listing of the places Lowther was stationed. The letters are arranged chronologically. Only the postcards with messages or those that show destruction from the war have been copied.

First Session of the Kansas Industrial Court
Creator: Topeka Daily Capital
Date: February 03, 1920
This newspaper clipping, from the Topeka Daily Capital, features Kansas Governor Henry J. Allen and members of the newly established Industrial Court in Topeka, Kansas. The three member board was created by a special session of the legislature in response to the coal miners strike in southeast Kansas. In this court collective bargaining was discussed between management and labor but strikes were prohibited. The members of the court were Clyde M. Reed, Parsons; Senator George H. Wark, Caney; and W. L. Huggins, Emporia.

F. J. Huseman to Governor Henry Allen
Creator: Ellsworth County Farmers Union
Date: January 10, 1920
F.J. Huseman, president of the Ellsworth County Farmers Union sends a resolution from union members opposing the Industrial Court legislation. The legislation would have a tribunal decide on labor problems between employers and their employees.