The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1917-10-23
HE WARNS COAL MEN
NOT TO CALL STRIKES
PRODUCTION TO CONTINUE
WITHOUT LET-UP.
Fuel Administrator Garfield De-
clares Drastic Steps Will
Be Taken.

Washington, Oct. 22.-Whatever
powers necessary will be employed
by the Federal government to stop
the strikes of coal miners in the
Middle West and prevent interrupt
ton Of the nations fuel production.
This warning was given by Fuel
Administrators Garfield in a sharp
telegram to miners and operators in
the fields involved, reminding them
of their pledge not to allow the out
put of coal to be diminished, and de-
claring that any attempt to bring
pressure to bear upon him to force
a revision OF coal prices would result
in postponement of a decision on
that question.
DR.. Garfield was in conference
with John p. White, president of the
United Mine Workers Of America,
who reported that so far the strikes
in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Penn
sylvania were local in character.
though they were threatening to
spread. He expressed the hope that
the men could be induced to return
to work
The fuel administrator did not
comment upon his warning or go in
to detail about the steps he proposed
to take If it is not Needed, further
than to say that while the country is
at war no interference with fuel pro-
ksflr NJ WfI hn fn1
has empowered the President to
take over mines and operate them
IL he deems it necessary.
: Wage Agreement Not Conditional
on Advance.
Under the recent agreement
reached at conference here be-
tween the opartors and men, new
wage scale granting a substantial in
crease was ~agreed upon. The op-
= oTators first entered into the agree
ment conditional upon an advance
in prices being allowed by the gov
ernment. The fuel administration
refused to consent to such an agree
ment. and the operators. according
to the administration, finally agreed
without that stipulation.
Fuel administration officials say
the men now striking want the in
creased wages to take effect imme-
diately instead OF at the next pay pc
riod, about November l. In a state
ment tonight, DR.. Garfield said the
fuel administration and the rail
roads are energetically working on
the problem Of getting more cars to
the mines, and that there is every
hope that the coal shortage will be
gradually remedied
Sharp Warming Issued to Operators
and Miners.
The fuel administrators telegram
follows:
American citizens engaged in the
mining OF coal. whether operators or
miners, are for the most part mind
full of the fact that our country is at
war, and that the burden rests upon
them to produce the coal needed
without interruption. But there are
evidently some who fail to under
stand the gravity of the situation,
and do not hesitate to advocate
strikes at the present time as n
means OF forcing the government to
at once decide whether the wage In
crease agreed to at the meeting re-
Gently held at Washington by the
operators and miners OF the central
district should Justly be covered by
an advance In the price fixed by the
President.
"The matter has been submitted
to me and all concerned are expect
ed TO cooperate. am giving i'm
mediate and close attention to the
question, and hope to reach a de-
cision at an early date. The onIy
circumstances within my control
which will delay that decision will
be the violation OF the spirit Of. the
arrangement between the operators
and miners which was that under no
circumstances should the produc-
(tion OF coal In the United States at
the present time be allowed to di-
minish.
1T either the operators or the
miners attempt to bring pressure
upon me to reach a decision, shall
postpone IT and use whatever pow.
crs are necessary to compel the pro-
ducffon of coal to meet the country's