The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-09-25
UNLESS AGREEMENT OVER
WAGES is REACHED STEP
WILL BE TAKEN SOON
DR.. Garfield Talks to
Both Sides
Operators and Worlmen Said to
Stand Together to Get More Out
of the Ultimate Consumer
Shortage Feared.

u. N -. Leased WlItJ
WASHINGTON, Sept. 25-Unless the
coal operators and miners adjust
their differences within a very few
days the United States will take over
and operate the mines.
The assurance was given by a high
government official to a United States
senator today
The fuel administration within the
past week has had information laid
before it pointing to a present coal
shortage even along the Atlantic sea-
board Municipal water works in
some communities and the like have
been forced to suspend operations be-
cause of a lack of fuel endangering
the health of the population, and leav-
ing the communities helpless before
fire danger.
Dr. Harry A. Garfield, fuel admin
istrator, today appealed to miners and
operators of the central fields at all
costs to avert a strike as the miners
opened their fight here today for in
creased pay
The miners are prepared to demand
an increase of 10 cents a ton to, be
paid to machine and pick miners and
of S1.90 a day for day laborers, who
now receive from $2.35 to $3.50 a day.
Under no circumstances must we
| allow production to stop" DR.. Car
field told the miners and operators
delegates. "It is our business as Am
erican citizens to produce the coal
needed for carrying on this war, just
as it is the business of certain other
American citizens in the rank and file
of the army to march on over all OBJ
stacles. We must put aside for the
time being all questions that might
separate us under ordinary condition
and bend all efforts to increasing pro-
duction. A general strike would spell
disaster"
After DR.. Garfield had opened the
conference, with his address, the min
ers and operators caucaused separate
ly. The miners formulated their de-
mands which, it is understood, will be
solely for a wage increase based on
the Increased cost of living" while
the operators tried to reach some de-
cision as to how far they were will
ing to go in meeting the demands Of
the men.
The meeting today is an emergency
meeting in which the miners and op-
orators of Pennsylvania and Ohio, Il
linois and Indiana are represented by
eight delegates and alternates. Each
side will have four votes in finally
determining the settlement. The cen
trail competitive district employs in
the neighborhood of 100000 miners
and produces approximately 250,000,-
600 tons of bituminous coal annually
! DR.. Garfield limited in his address
to the delegates that certain increases
in the coal prices as fixed by the
president would be allowed the opera
tors at an early date
"The increase will be only in {
few outlying fields" the fuel admin
! istrator said after the meeting.
! "In those districts having thin
veins or where peculiar formation
I making mining especially difficult oc
! ours, advances will be allowed, pend
/ ing a final investigation and adjust
! ment."
! DR.. Garfield refused to say what dis
! tricts we're to receive increases, but
! is known that some counties in Wash
! ington, Usage county in Kansas ant
! practically the whole state of Alabami
I will benefit
The intimation that increases ar
! in prospect were especially cheering
! to the operators Their attitude, Will
/ outwardly fighting the miners de
= mands, is that the whole matter i
up to DR.. Garfield. They are per
fectly willing to meet the demands
the government will allow the scale 0
" prices fixed by the president to b
. increased If their requests for in
creases are denied, they cannot NEE
the miners wage demands 1t is {
the interest of the government tina
W they continue to operate and at tn
IL same time to ward off a strike. TIL
is only way this can be accomplished
IN the operators believe. is by increasin
a. the government fixed prices. Wit
the situation as it stands both tn
! miners and the operators are entirel
ed satisfied. While they seem to fig1
n each other. the real fight is with tn
mt government.
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