Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-19
WHITE WILL APPEAL
TO OM|NERSO OF WEST
President of United Mine Work
ers Goes on Mission for Fuel
Administration.
CRISIS Is NOT CONCEALED
If He Fails, Government Expect
ed to Take Over Control of
Industry at Once.
CRISIS IS NOT CONCEALED

| WASHINGTON. October 1s.-The
United States fuel administration to-
night sent John p. White. president
OF the United Mine Workers OF Amer
lea, to the Middle Western coal fields.
| where thousands Of miners are quit
ting work and threatening the nations
coal supply. This move came as
climax to thirty-six hours discussion
OF government seizure and operation
Of the mines. II Mr.. White, through
his powerful union connections, is not
able to get the miners back to work,
/ II is believed tonight that Federal
handling of the nations fue! will fol-
low at once.
! Although the fuel administration is
as optimistic the gloomy outlook
the crisis. DR.. II. A. Garfield TO-DAY
refused to add anything to his state
ment of yesterday, in which he threat
ened to take any steps necessary" it
| either miners or operators try to CO.
cree the government into higher wages
or higher prices.
Mr.. White, before leaving on his
mission of last resort, described the
coal miners Of the Middle West as
simply running Wild" His admission
that union officials appear to have lost
control of their men was tonight re-
Garded as serious omen. The United
| tG laI
tho best organized and most powerful
unions in existence. If the officials
cannot handle these men, comment ran,
the situation must indeed be. critical.
THE union leaders have never at
any time countcnanced any of these
strikes" Mr.. White said. THE men
are simply running wild. Officials are
doing everything in their power to
keep the men in line. but the men
arc disobeying orders and going out
The biggest danger 10 the country's
coal supply in time Of war IS not the
number Of men who go out Of the
coal mines on strike at any given mo-
ment. as tho present for example. The
big danger lies. first, In the posi-
bility Of the strikes that start locally,
| spreading over wide territory: ani.
second, in the effect of the strike or
operations generally.
"On the first point, we are worried
because tho strikes seem to be spread
| ing. On the second, we are without
definite information as yet. But
| might point out that IL the strikers in
clude such men as trainmcn or engi-
neers in the mines, for instance n small
number could cut down the production
| tremendously"
Mr. White went from Washington
| directly to the headquarters of the
United Mine Workers in indianapolis
He will tackle the problem there. be-
| iore attempting any excursions to the
various fields. Some encouragement
came from Illinois to-day in the form
OF telegram from Frank harrington,
president of the Illinois branch of the
union. He declared the miners see
they have made a mistake and are
preparing to resume work.
DIsaUIETING REPORTS
FROM OTHER STATES
ever. were reports from Kansas West
| Virginia and Pennsylvania. Miners
nedr Indiana. Pa. walked out and
| operators at Fairmont, w. Va, asked
| the fuel administration for a higher
| price in order to meet demands for a
| wage increase. Kansas reports were
| to the effect that the miners intended
! to have their Increase in wages at once,
or they would not return to work
1t was estimated that in Illinois,
where about 10000 miners are out.
the daily output of coal has been Gus
| from 100000 tons to $4,000 tons. II
this condition cannot be romedied
| through Mr.. whites efforts. drastic
action is expected from DR.. Garfield
During the crisis. the fuel admin
istration is continuing it's regular pro-
gram Of coal conservation. with the
aid OF State administrators. The a2-
/ pointmcnt OF Evans Woollen, of In
anapolis. as Indiana fuel ndministra-
| tor was announced to-day. He Is the
| thirty-hfth State coal administrator
| named
DR.. Garfield Is planning to swoop
down on coal hoarders in few days,
! ii became known to-day. Big manu-
! featuring plants near the mines in
Western Pennsylvania. Ohio and In
diana have great accumulations of coai
in reserve. while Northwestern plants
and private consumers face a winter
famine. DR.. Garfield plans to take
coal from the private boards. and ship
| II to the Northwest before winter stors
lake traffic. lie Will either pay the
private concerns for the coal he takes
or replace It with other coal later on
Among other methods of saving coal
| :s one that may rob Now York and
other cities OF their gay white ways
DIR. Garfield has been advised that
thousands OF tors of coal are con-
sumed to produce electricity for the
tremendous advertising signs that
| make the gay white ways SO white
lie is preparing campaign to cut
| down the nse OF electricity for such
| purposes hoping thus to save Goa. in
quantities.
DIR. Garfield to-day accepted an in
vitatton 10 address the big mass-meet-
ing OF coal operators at Pittsburgh.
October %. The meeting will bo un-
der the auspices OF tho National Coal
Association.