Evening journal., 1918-08-24
GARFIELD REFUSES
COAL wage RAISE
Stands Upon Agreement of
Last October to Continue
During War
WARNS NATIONS
LABOR AGITATORS

WASHINGTON. Aug 2i.-Overtures
FOR an increase in wages for coal miners
were rejected without qualification by
Dr. Garfield at a conference yesterday
with President Frank Hayes and other
officials OF the United Mine Workers OF
America
The action OF the fuel administrator
was based on a wage agreement be-
tween the operators aud miners last
October and approved by himself. This
specified that it was to continue in ef-
feet FOR the duration OF the war, but
not longer than April /, 1920" An in
crease Of 40 cents a ton in the mine
price of coal was made at that time to
cover the wage advance.
The visit OF the delegation TO Dr.
Garfield was made after a twenty-hour
conference at the headquarters Of the
American Federation Of Labor. A dell-
mite sum was not mentioned by the
visitors, nor did they later indicate the
amount which they had proposed TO
ask for.
The payment Of bonuses by the op-
orators to the miners This summer was
cited by the delegation as the reason
for asking higher wages at this time
The claim was made that if some mine
workers benefited in this way a general
increase in pay, through which all
would share alike in the bonus system,
should be granted, by the Fuel Admin
lstration.
DR.. Garheh pointed TO the fact that
an order had been issued August ,
forbldding the payment Of bonuses and
saying that the sum Of the bonus would
be deducted from the mine price the
producer Is permitted TO charge If 10 is
continued in the future
Calling attention to the fact that
strike in the coal fields for higher
wages had been prccipitated in Hi
nois. Indiana and Ohio with the snow
flurries last fall, DR.. Garfield asserted
that any step to bring about labor dis
turbance in Tie coal fields or interrupt
constant production of coal will be met
by stern measures.
He asserted that labor stability is
necessary at this time to the production
of coal in edaquate quantity for the
war industries and at the same time to
prevent shortage and fSeezing in the
homes this winter lie said he will in
sist that the production Of coal is not
disturbed in any way while the war
and will not countenance any
move which tends TO violate the letter
or spirit of the wage pact approved
by him last October
He went into a discussion Of the ne
gOtiatiOns which were conducted dur
ing the fall. pointing out that other
wage increases had been given earlier
in the year.
Bonuses are an evil and must be
stopped" said Or. Garfield later. II am
cernfEE asiRs sP pagg ppg sSs so1eFst FHtIssht is Con- n
present investigating the cost of living
and wage conditions throughout the
country. This will include, Of course,
conditions in the mining fields"
A uniform national wage scale for
all Of the trades and crafts in the ship
building yards is favored by the Ship
ping Labor Adjustment Board, which
has been holding hearings for two
weeks 10 enable representatives Of the
different unions opportunity for read
iustment OF wage rates.
The demands were for the payment
OF double time instead Of time and a
half for all overtime beyond eight
hours on weeks days and four hours on
Saturday, half holidays on Saturdays
throughout the year and a 10 per cent.
bonus for employees on the night shift.
In addition the skilled crafts requested
a minimum wage Of 81 an hour.
Though no policy has been announc-
ed the wage adjustment board Is work
ing consistently toward a uniform ma
tional wage to halt the labor turnover
In shipyards occasiOned by men moving
from one section 10 another where the
scale is higher. Wages have been fixed
in the past on what was considered a
liberal basis for the various ship pro-
ductlon districts