The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-10-19
MINERS Oh STRIKE;
DEMAND PAY RAISE
Union Leaders Call Action of Men
''0pen Rebellion"
REPORT SENT WASHINGTON
Men Quit Because of Failure to Order
Price lncrease-35,0 900 Heed Gar
fields Plea and Return
to Work.

Chicago Oct. 17.-John e. Williams,
newly appointed federal coal admins
traitor for Illinois, on Tuesday sent a
report to Washington on the Illinois
coal mine strike situation indicating
that fully 10000 tons day of produc-
ton had been cut off, that there was
fear of the trouble spreading and that
immediate action was urgent.
The fuel administrator and the
miners union officials joined in de-
cl9ring the situation to be one of open
rebellion, existing wage agreements
being regarded as scraps of paper"
The trouble was precipitated by the
failure of National Administrator Gar
field to order immediate increases in
Illinois coal prices and of the mine
operators in turn to put extra pay in
the miners envelopes.
Arrangement in Doubt.
Whether an arrangement can be eff
fected which will include an increase
in the pay check which caused the
WalkOut is doubtful, it being said that
the report was predicated on the in
crease becoming effective on next pay
day, November l. In Washington Mr..
Garfield and his advisers conferred re-
garding the Illinois situation, and eff
forts will be made at once to induce
the miners to resume work.
That Mr.. Garfield is determined to
prevent strikes if possible was indicat-
ed in action taken in connection with
the situation in southwestern states.
AS soon as he heard that $4,000 men in
the Missouri Kansas, Oklahoma and
Arkansas mine fields were planning to
walk out he sent kilograms to heads of
local unions declaring that strikes
must not take place and warned them
he would use every power committed
to him" to prevent them. He urged
them to send q committee to Washing
ton.
This appeal, along with one sent out
by John p. White, president Of the
National Miners union, ordering the
men to stay at work, had it's effect,
and the strike was called off.
Cutting off 10000 tons of daily pro-
duction would practically paralyZe
the industry in the state, and with
cold weather but q short time off and
manufacturing concerns running night
and day to meet the war order emer-
gency, the situation would become
critical within two or three days time.
Miners Near ST. Louis Go Out.
st. Louis, Mo-, Oct. 17.-Miners
struck at several mines near Belle
Vile, ILL.,, at some of the mines of the
Southern Coal Coke and Mining COM
pany, at two DOnk Bros mines at
COllinsville and Maryyille, ILL.,, and at
the Lumaghi mines at Maryville. AL
together about twenty mines in the
Illinois field near st. Louis were af-
fected.
10000 Illinois Miners Out.
Springfield H., Oct. 17.-Ten thou
sand miners in central Illinois are on
strike asking a ten per cent increase
in wages.
Immediately reports were that the
miners at Belleville and in Madison
county also were out.
Mine men here declare that all the
miners between Springfield and st.
Louis on the Chicago & Alton rail-
road would likely go out, affecting
thousands of miners.
Other States Affected.
Peoria, H., Oct 17.-Coal operators
here expected general strike OF
miners in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsyl-
vania and West Virginia, following the
reported walkout of 5000 miners in
the Springfield district. 1t was expect
ed that the men in the Peoria dis
trict would go out by night