New-York tribune., 1919-11-19
Garfield Summons Both
Factions To-day as Fuel
Famine Grips Nation
and Menaces industries
Miners Still Idle
In Central Field
Notice To Be Served That
Time Has Cornc to Re.
sum e Full Operation

WASHINGTON. Nov. lS-The gov
ernment stepped to the front to day to
force miners and operators to negotiate
new wage agreement and resume
work in the bituminous fields before
the country is in the grip of coal
famine.
Clothed with all of his wartime
powers as fuel administrator and act
ing by direct authority Of the Presi-
dents Cabinet, Dr.. Harry A. Garfield
called joint meeting of the scale COM
mittees. at which he was expected to
give formal notice that the time had
come to resume mining operations on
q normal scale.
While the joint conference was set
Tor this afternoon, DR.. Garfield found
a full attendance could not be obtained,
so it went over until tomorrow Mean
while word was passed that the strike
situation had reached that point where
action was regarded by Federal author
tiles as absolutely imperative.
Hines Refuses Freight Embargo
Another important development Of
the day was the decision of Walker d.
Hines, Director General of Railroads,
not to accede to the recommendation
of his seven regional directors to de-
clare general freight embargo. sMr.
Hines, who met his assistants in Chi
cago, told them the railroads had sufi-
cient coal to last them twenty-five or
thirty days with practically normal
service, and a freight embargo would
be declared only as a last extremity.
Tie poss bility of a settlement Of
the controversy between the miners
and the cal operators was discussed
at the Cabinet meeting to-day. and it
was said there was no evidence that
the scale committees, which were
called here last week to negotiate a
new wage agreement had made the
least headwsy. Reports from the cen
trail competitive fields, embracing the
states Of Illinois, Indiana. Ohio and
western Pennsy ylvania, strongholds of
the United Mine Workers of America
showed all mines shut down and not
enough coal coming from non-union
plants in other states to meet the nor
nal demand by several million tons.
Other reports, from widely separated
sections, brought the same story OF a
indications that hundreds of industrial
plants would be forced to ose shortly
unless coal production was put back at
normal. In the view of many officials
the situation was critical enough to
demand drastic action.
Although he would not discuss the
nature Of the statement he was pre-
pared to lay before the operators and
miners, it was said on high authority
T. t1,x n. y n,.c, i
sent the situation forciby to the chief
representatives of the mine owners and
mine workers. There was no intima-
tion as to what direction governmental
action would take in case the deadlock
cont nucd.
Example of Kansas Cited
Steps taken by Kansas to operate
the mines under government authority,
and fear by both sides that other states
would do likewise. were urged as
strong reason for quick settlement of
all wage disputes.
The operators scale committee sen.
word to the miners it was not ready
to meet them in joint session. Com
mentlng upon a statement issued to-
night by their executive committee
denying the conference sis being held
up because of differences and indie
L
spokesman for the operators declared
their entire policy has been under con-
s:deratioH in their secret sessions.
The probable attitude of the Admin
istration, and the sact that the miners
have not returned to work, were said
to be the principal subjects which have
occupied their time. The failure of
the United Mine Workers of America
to tell the men to return to their jobs
was said to have left the negotiations
in virtually the same state as when
the threat Of strike caused the
breakup of the Buffalo meeting.
Government Held Party
Some of the operators held the view
that the government, acting through
Fuel Administrator Garfield. was d
"third party" to the contracts, and the
wage scale laid down by the Washing
ton agreement could not be changed
without the authorization Of DR.. Gar
would be allowed in maximum coal
prices.
.uer operators wished to knew the
views of the Director General of Rail-
roads, as the raisr0ad adm .nistration is
the largest single purchaser of coal IL
the country. The Department of Jus.
tice Was the third governmental agency
involved in the discussions there be.
ing a strong feeling among the opera
tors that the government had not full
hl.ed its dut in merely ordering the
withdrawal Of the strike order, but
should prosecute vigorously miners re-
fusing to go back to work. Plans to
present this phase of the situation to
the Attorney General were changed
when DR.. Gariield's call for CON
ference was received
The action of Governor Allen in
Continued ON nn0e hpA