Evening star., 1917-10-18
US. MAY OPERATE
SOF FT-COAL MINES
IN MIDDLE WEST
Conferences Continued Here,
Following Warning Given by
Administrator Garfield.
SUSPECTS PLAN TO FORCE
HIGHER PRICE FOR COAL
Rather Than Be Coerced, He Says,
Government Will Employ
Drastic Measures.

OIdSllC 1ACoSu4Vo.
Government operation of coal mines
In the middle west, where miners have
gone on strike, loomed today as an i'm
minent probability.
DIR. Harry A. Garfield, federal fuel ad-
ministrator, would add nothing to his
telegram to miners and operators yes
terday, in which he said he would "use
whatever powers are necessary to COM
pei the production of coal to meet the
country's needs" but he is known to be
working on plan whereby men drafted
into the service of the country could be
put to work in mines, even if volunteer
labor was not sufficient.
Conferences Are Continued.
Conferences between Dr. Garfield,
John p. White. president of the United
Mine Workers of America, coal oper-
ators, and other interested persons con-
tinued today. kilograms were received
from a number of labor union officials
in the Illinois field announcing that
they were advising the strikers to re-
turn to work, and that they were do
ing everything possible to bring about
an adjustment of the situation.
Unless the condition in Illinois, where
the daily output is reported TO have
dropped from 100000 tons daily to Co.
600 tons. is remedied at once some ac-
tration is looked for before this time
next week.
Suspect Coercion Effort.
It is felt by the officials of the fuel
administration that the strike may be
an attempt to coerce the government in
deciding the question of higher prices
for coal, on which a further raise in
miners wages is contingent. and this
10 resented. Whatever action is taken
in the present instance will be a prece-
dent for future difficulties. and for that
reason DR.. Garfield will meet the issue
decisively. making it apparent to both
operators and miners that any attempt
to force the hand of the government in
the matter of wages or coal prices will
be dealt with severely.
His telegram to the miners and mine
operators in the districts affected by
the strikes follows:
DR.. Garheld'si Telegram.
American citizens engaged in the
mining Of coal, whether operators or
miners, are for the most part mindful
of the fact that our country is at war
and that the burden rests upon them to
produce the coal needed without inter-
ruption. But there are evidently some
who fail to understand the gravity of
the situation and who do not hesitate
to advocate strikes at the present time
as a means of forcing the government
at once 10 decide whether the wage in
crease agreed to at the meeting re-
Gently held at Washington by the oper-
ators and miners of the central dis
trict should justly be covered by an ad
vance in the prices fixed by the Presi-
dent
The matter has been submitted to
cooperate l am giving immediate and
close attention to the question and hope
to reach a decision at an early date.
The only circumstance within my con-
troll which will delay that decision will
be the violation of the spirit of the ar
rang ement between the operators and
miners, which was that under no cir
cumstances should the production of
coal in the United States at the present
time be allowed to diminish.
IF either the operators or the miners
attempt to bring pressure upon me to
reach a decision I shall postpone it and
use whatever powers are necessary to
compel the production of coal to meet
the country's needs"