The Washington herald., 1919-11-29
MINES WILL OPEN
WITH PROTECTION
CONTINUED FROM FACE ONE.


individual mines in the event of a
failure upon the part of the owners
to operate them when such failure is
found to be in violation of the provi-
sion of the Lever act against con-
spiracies to limit production.
The representatives of the mine
workers. declared yesterday that the
miners would not sit tight" Presi-
dent John L. Lewis, before leaving
for Indianapolis, declined to express
an opinion as to how many OF the
miners would hold out.
President Lewis and Secretary
Green held conference yesterday
with President Gompers of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. president
Gompers announced afterward that
the miners attorneys would come to
Washington at an early date to con-
suit with the Federation attorney
Jackson II. Rallston regarding an ap-
peal which the miners are preparing
to take to the higher courts on the
Injunction granted by Judge Ander-
son.
President Lewis also made a call
upon Secretary of Labor Wilson.
whose offer to pay the miners a SIG
per cent wage increase was over
ruled by the Cabinet in favor of the
Garfield figure of II per cent.
Say Wilson May Resign.
Reports have been current that
Secretary OF Labor Wilson, who the
miners say has been repudiated by
the government, was about to resign.
When asked about this report. Secre-
tary Wilson said: There is no COM
ment"
The operators said last night that
the IA per cent average increase
means that the wages of the pick
miners will be increased from A75
per day to $.1: of machine miners
and leaders from about IS to s912. and
OF men paid-on-the-day basis and get
ting an average of about S per day
to $50.
These increases, the operators hope,
will be attractive enough to call back
enough miners to enable the operators
to increase production very material
ly. They say that the present produc-
tion is now about 100000 tons a week
as compared to 100000 tons before
the strike.
The operators say that n they can
bring production up to 100000 or even
100000 tons a week that the country
can pull through the winter without
serious want. The operators put the
situation in another way. They said
that il they can manage to produce
5 per cent of the normal tonnage OF
the central competitive field, that this
production plus the tonnage produced
in the outlying and non-union fields
will be enough to save the situation.
Gomper.' Statement.
President Gompers. of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor, said to-
day that President Lewis and Sec
retary Green, of the miners. had re-
lated to him the circumstances of
the negotiations and that they be-
lieved the miners would have sc-
cepted the \per cent offer made by
Secretary Wilson
Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Green were
confronted with the fact that Sec
retary Wilson's award was over
turned" said Mr.. Compers. land
that instead OF it DIR. Garfeld's offer
OF IA per cent increase was made.
and this they could not for them
selves accept. and expressed the be-
lief that the miners would not be
satisfied and return to work on such
a basis"
DR.. Garfield yesterday gave ont the
following to show just how the "A
per cent wage increase figure was
reckoned:
"on the basis OF the Bureau Of La
Dor statistics for both cost of living
and weighted average of wage in
creases to miners, the cost of living
has risen to 1913 per cent of the cost
in 1913. which is taken as 100 per cent.
whereas wages have already been in
creased to 1875 per cent of the wages
for 1913. which is taken as 100 per cent
"On this basis the necessary aver
age present increase to equalize wages
with increased living costs is COM
puted. not by subtracting 1916 per
cent from 17S.S per cent. but by divid-
ing 119.S per cent by 1916 per cent,
which shows the proper wages to be
ia per cent of the present wages or
an increase of "a per cent"