The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-11-28
Government Will
Seize Coal Mines
Where Owners Show No Disposition to CO.
operate in Increasing Production-TrOOps
to Protect Miners Who Desire to
Return to Work.
Administration Will Insure Production of Basic Neces
sites During Controversy, Declares Garfield.
Handle Situation as During Strike

Washington, Nov. ed. N. S)-
"The government will insure produe'
tion OF basic necessities during the
coal controversy" Or. Garfield. fuel
administrator, declared today.
"The basic necessities will be pro-
dueed,' said Or. Garfield. Every
power Of the government will be Wig
orously employed to prevent prof.
to erins in coal by either operators or
miners"
DR.. Garfield declared that the gov
ernment would go to great length to
insure the production of basic ne
oessities and intimated that govern.
nnent operation Of plants would re-
suit IL found neos ssary to protect the
production of such necessities.
In official circles today 1t was
stated that Atty.-Gen. Palmer and
other representatives of the govern
ment have for several days been fully
prepared to insure production OF ne
cessities. John Il. Lewis, acting
| president Of the miners, announced
today that he will go into conference
with Samuel Gompers at o'clock.
He declined to say what he would
| take up with Mr.. Gompers.
Il am going over to pay my re-
spects to Mr.. Gompers," he said
"The miners will continue to insist
that the government carry out its
pledge, as given through Secretary
| Wilson for a 81 per cent increase"
The wage conference In Washing.
ton was called by Secretary Wilson
on behalf of the government, and the
miners will continue to recognize him
as the official representative of the
government in this matter.
ut is deplorable that the confer
ence should have ended in this man.
ner. The miners are insisting upon
a living wage and the proposition OF
DIR. Garfield does not afford that to
them"
Lewis Calls on Wilson.
| Lewis was in conference during the
morning with Secretary Of Labor
Wilson, but declined to say what
4 passed between them.
| M"Do you expect to go to jail ovel
this situation?' he was asked.
II do not" he said. Il was never
\ III jail III my lIIc hOFSi tNPSS'
| to be- am law-abiding citizen"
do you expect the government tc
attempt to break the coal striker" he
was asked.
| II have no official knowledge thai
| there Is a coal strike" he replied.
Are the miners financially able tc
remain away from work for con-
siderable period?"
Lewis shrugged his shoulders and
made no answer.
No further conference between the
miners representatives will take
place in Washington, he said. The
| majority of the miners representa-
tives have already gone home and
Lewis stated that he will leave fol
his home in Springfield, ILL.,, at
o'clock this afternoon.
Il have been with my family only
three days in four weeks" he added
| William Green, secretary-treasurer
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea, will leave Washington for his
home tonight, Lewis said.
| Coal production in the nonunion
fields yesterday was So per cent. OF
normal, according to reports re-
ceived by DIR. Garfield today. This
is an increase over production in
these fields at any time since the
strike.
Denies Report.
Operators here declared today that
the shortage Is holding up produc-
ton in some of the nonunion and
nonstrike fields. DIR. Garfield Off
cially denied this afternoon that he
had declared he would take over the
mines and operate them.
\ group of operators called on DR.
Garfield to ask him concerning the
reports that he was to take over the
mines, and he informed them that
he had no such plans.
The war department is ready tC
offer protection to those miners who
desire to return to work, it was
stated today, and the situation will
be handled in much the same way
as it was handled during the strike