New-York tribune., 1919-11-27
Would Be Law Breakers

modify like coal.
Would Be Law Breakers
"Then," said harrington, 1--WE have
no alternative but to accept your pro-
| posal or to stand in the public eye as
enemies of society and enemies of the
government. We do not want to mince
words here. We should call spade a
spade"
Stating my own personal view" re.
when there is involved some necessary
basis commodity like coal or food the
government of the United States is
bound to protect you and me in that
supply, and it must do so with an eye
to the conditions in the production of
| food or fuel. But if those who pro-
| duce these commodities demand more
than the average man in the country
is getting, then by the extent to which
he demands more is he levying a trib-
country, and whether it is to be paid in
wages or in profits to a corporation it
does not differ in character that it is
profits for the few at the expense of
! the many.
"An insistence in refusing to obey
| the law in these circumstances certain
ly would place any one in the position
of law breaker"
DR.. Garfield went on to say that the
government would protect those who
desire to work in the mines and re-
iterated that the miners have no
right to make demands which would
workers, in the belief that they must
! "share the loot" He said that if capi-
tai were making exorbitant profits it
should be made to disgorge them.
"This advance" said Mr.. Lewis, when
DR.. Garfield finished, "is inadequate and
positively ridiculous"
DR.. Garfield's Statement
DR.. Garfeilds statement to the
miners and operators was as follows:
"On the Gath inst. I announced that
the public must not be asked to pay
more than 1t is now paying for coal
unless it is necessary to do so in order
to provide reasonable wages to the
mine workers and a reasonable profit
to the operators. Careful investiga-
tlon forces me to the conclusion that,
in accordance with this and the other
principles set forth on the Oath inst,
the public ought not to be required to
pay any increase in coal prices at this
time.
"The prices fixed by the government
production for war purposes. Coal
was basic and the increase in produc-
tlon was imperative. The operators
are now in receipt of margins which
were necessary to effect that increase
OF production, but which are larger
than are required under present con-
dltlons. 1t was estimated that the
production needed for 1918 was
60O,00O,O0 tons. The estimate for
1919 is 500,000,000 tons.
IA Per Cent Needed
Applying the principles set forth
IN paragraph two Of the statement of
November %, when the average in
creases in wages since 1913 for the
various classes Of mine workers are
deducted from the increase in the cost
Of living since that time. we arrive at
the amount of additional increase in
wages justifiable at the present time.
Il nave taken rne figures of the
Bureau of Labor Statistics for both
cost OF living and for the weighted
average, of wage increases. Accord
ing to those figures the cost of living
has risen 1913 per cent since 1913. and
the amount necessary to bring the
average wages Of mine workers up to
this point at the present time is ii
per cent.
"Readiustments heretofore made
since 1913 were such as to give Ger
tain classes Of mine workers an av
erage increase in excess of the in
crease in the cost Of living and GER
tam others an average increase below
the increase III the cost of living.
Relative Bases Preserved
This form of adjustment was made
IN order to establish or preserve GER
tain relative bases in the mining in
dustry. l do not think this condition
however, ought to result in giving to
mine workers as whole, and in conse.
quence imposing upon the public, a
total average increase in excess of
the total average increase in the cost
of living, because if this course be
adopted the result would be that the
total increased burden placed upon
the mining industry will be far in ex
cess OF the increase in the cost OF
living.
"If this principle were applied in in.
dustries generally it is obvious that
the resulting cost would be passed
along to the general public and tn
increased wages would increase in
rapid spiral, taking as q minimum tn,
percentage of increase in the cost @
living, In the long run this would adj
many new and serious burdens to tn
cost of living of the entire public an,
would fall more injuriously upon tn
working classes than upon any others
Prices To Be Controlled
at seems to me that the REASONABLE
way to deal with this situation Is t{
give to the industry as whole al
average increase commensurate witt
the increase in the cost Of living an,
then let that amount of increase be an
bases that are acceptable to the EN-
portioned in accordance with the wag
ployers and the employees.
Control of prices by the governmen
will be maintained for the present.
The present negotiation stands b
itself, but it is far from disposing O
the fundamental controversy betweel
operators and mine workers. That con
troversy is bound to be continuing on,
as matters now stand. 1t involves iv
ing conditions and conditions in th
mines, as we'll as wages and profit
and the general relation between oper
ators and mine workers.
wherefore. to aid in applying tn,
principles which have governed us AM
winch should govern in reaching con
clusions in the future, it is urged tina
, a permanent consultative body. Will
purely advisory powers, be set up, con
slstlng of the Secretary of the Interio
, as chairman and of ar equal number O
representatives Of the operators an,
, OF the mine workers, chosen in sucl