Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1919-10-25
Writes to Conference
Following Failure of
Pay Proposals to Win
Peace In Conflict.
Nothing Now Stands in
Way of utting in Eff
feet Order for Walkout
Of 100000 Men.

Washington, Oct. 24.-Efforts
of Secretary Wilson to avert a
strike of coal miners in the CEN
trail competitive fields failed
tonight, the miners rejecting
proposal from President Wilson
that the controversy be arbi-
trated. The operators previous
ly had accepted the presidents
proposal.
After the rejection of all pro-
posals by the miners. the con-
ference of the two scale COM
mittees here was adjourned,
with every prospect that the
strike would occur November /.
as called.
| John L. Lewis, president of
the United Mine Workers of
America, announced after the
breakup of the conference that
the strike order stood and that
half a million soft coal miners
would quit work November /.
Official notice that mediation ef-
forts had failed will be sent at
once to all districts, Lewis added.
Both operators and miners
had rejected proposal by Sec
retary Wilson that they nego-
tiate new wage agreement cal
culated to avert the strike of
soft coal miners called for No
vember |. when the president
rendered his arbitration sugges-
tion.
Strike Order Was Obstacle.
The operators would not accent a prior
wage proposal because the miners re-
fused to withdraw the strike order. md
Mr.. Wilson then came forward with still
another proposal for settlement. on
which both sides Immediately went to
work
This provided for straight Increase
Of 10 cents ton for pick mining, with
an increase III the same ratio for ma
chimes and other classes of labor. The
proposal also provided that there should
De an eight-hour day from bank to-
ta bank and half holiday on Saturday.
the agreement to be effective Nov. i
and to continue until March 81, 1879.
Wilson in Tears at Close.
The presidents appeal was made
through Secretary Wilson. after the
latter had exhausted every possible
effort and had pleaded until his throat
ached
He pointed out what strike meant
and urged the two sides to get together,
negotiate their differences. resorting to
arbitration only in the event that negoti-
ations failed The important point in the
proposal however, was that the mines be
Kept open and the miners stay at work
The miners and operators had left
the conference room and Secretary Viii
son. the tears springing to his eyes. was
gathering up his papers, when he an
nounced that his efforts and the presi-
dents efforts had fallen down and that
the conference had adjourned for good
He briefly explained the status, but re-
fused to be drawn into charges of bad
faith.
Operators Had Agreed
The operators agreed to accept the
of the president in its en-
urety, Mr.. Wilson said. ''and to proceed
with negotiations and if they failed to
come to a conclusion to submit the mat
ters still in dispute to arbitration, the
mines to continue in operation pending
adjustment.
The miners interpreted the nresi-
dents letter as two proposals. They
were willing to accept the first that is
to proceed to negotiate. The operators
said that having expressed willingness
to accept the presidents proposal in It's
entirety, they held themselves ready to
proceed to negotiate and arbitrate when
ever called upon by the secretary oa
labor or by the miners scale committee
and with that statement, withdrew
'3fhe miners remained and expressed
their regret that the negotiations could
not go on. but declined TO proceed with 5
the negotiations until il had been de-
termined whether the results of the
scontinued nm PAGE Two,