Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-29
PRESIDENT GRANTS ADVANCE TO
OPERATORS FOR sALEs.AT
MINES. 4
ADVANCE AUTHORIZED
TO PREVENT STRIKE
Added Price Allowed to Meet lnoreesed
Cost in .Waees-Bituminous Coal
Only Affected by order--Reeom-
nnendations Of Administrator Garfield
Accepted by president.

Washington, Oct. 29.-President Will
son by executive order, to meet the de-
mands of coal miners for wage in
creases, added As cents a ton to all the
government proclaimed prices for btu
minous coal. The new prices are effec-
tive today.
The presidents action was based on
recommendation from Fuel Admins
traitor H. A. Garfield, who urged the in
creases after careful investigation of
the coal mining and labor situation
thruout the country.
The text of the presidents order is
as follows:
The scale of prices prescribed Aug.
p, 1917. by the president Of the United
States for bituminous coal at the mine,
as adjusted and modified, by order Of
the United States fuel administrator to
meet exceptional conditions in certain
localities, is hereby amended by adding
the sum Of 45 cents to each Of the
prices so prescribed or so adjusted and
modified. subject, however. to the fol-
lowing expressed exceptions:
This increase in price shall not apply
to any coal sold at the mine under ex-
listing contract containing a provision
Hereunder in case of an increase Of
wages paid to miners.
This increase in prices shall not APP
ply in any district in which the op-
orators and miners fail to agree upon
a penalty provision, satisfactory to the
fuel administrator. for the automatic
collection Of fines in the spirit of the
agreement entered into between the
operators and miners at Washington,
Oct. 6, 1917.
This order shall become effective at
a. m. on Oct. 20, 1917.
Woodrow Wilson.
The presidents action was taken
within twenty-four hours after receiv-
ing the following letter from Admins
traitor Garfield:
1T Is my understanding that in Ak
ing provisional prices for coal, 1t was
intended to allow fair profit to OPP
orators. The public does not desire, nor
is it necessary. that the coal industry
should be asked to make more OF sac
industries. Exorbitant profits only have
been the subject Of concern 1t neSis
no argument to justify congressional
and executive action against profiteer-
ing. when the people Of the United
States are called upon to make unusual
sacrifices.
LAS result Of the conference held
in Washington between operators and
the miners Of the central field. an
agreement was reached on Oct. 26 pro-
viding. among other things. in increase
Sf wages as follows:
IAN advance of 10 cents per ton to
miners.
Advances ranging from Is cents to
$1.40 a day to laborers.
IAN advance of II. per cent for yard
age and dead work.
This will result in an increase to
miners OF SO per cent and to the best
paid laborers Of rs per cent over the
wages Of April /. 1914. These increases
are not in excess of the advances in
cost Of living for that period.
1T is obvious that these advances in
wages must be taken either from the
operator or the consumer. On the as
Nldt thS pTICcS IAcQ yICiu
profit to the operator. II this increase
Of wages Is to fall entirely upon the
operators, their profits will no longer be
fair. unless the result Of the increase
bears an insignificant relation to those
profits This question was submitted to
me as fuel administrator. 1t is not pos
sible to estimate the exact effect Of the
PROPOSED increases. upon the prices
fixed.
But experts Of the federal trade
commission and Of the fuel administra
ton have made careful computation
7 have asked them to exclude from
their computations any allowance
which could be regarded as an indirect
Increase Of the profits of the operatorN
and to make their calculations with
the sole object in view Of covering the
increase in wages by Interpreting the
above proposals in terms Of the prices
fixed, that is, to advise me how many
------'-- -