Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-12-10
SETTLEMENT OF THE COAL
STRIKE WAS NOT REACHED
AT DAYS CONFERENCE
CONTINUED from Page one)

CONTINUED from Page One)
~ agreed to urge their general COM
mittee to accept the presidents plan
and called the meeting here today.
/ Postpones Criminal Hearing.
! In order that the Ulan for settle
ment might be submitted to the gen
eral committee this afternoon, the
I government this morning asked and
obtained postponeent of hearing Of
charges of criminal contempt pending
in federal court here against the
eighty-four union heads who form
the general committee. AT the same
time Judge Anderson granted a mo-
ton by government attorneys for tn
postponement of federal grand jury
/ investigation of alleged violation of
the Lever lar. and antitrust acts, by
both miners and operators. The con-
tempt proceedings are set for hear
ing next Tuesday and the grand jury
investigation for the following day
Attorney General Palmer was in the
court room this morning when the
contempt cases came up for trial but
took no part in the proceedings. The
governments request for postpone
ment was made lv c. T.. Amcs, as
sistant to the attorney general, and by
L. Ert Slack, United States district at
torney. Judge Anderson made no
comment on the contempt cases or the
governments request beyond remarks
as to when they should be brought up
again.
Strong Opposition Develops.
The opposition to acceptance of the
presidents plan developed soon after
the miners session convened was
evidenced by scraps Of speeches which
could be heard outside the nall in
which the meeting was being held in
hotel. The argument during the
afternoon was very heated and indi-
Gated that the attitude of some of the
delegates undoubtedly was delaying
the final decision in favor of ending
the strike.
During the day Acting President
Lewis received Il message from Sec
rotary of Labor Wilson urging the
miners TO accept the new proposal
and it is known that this message, to-
gether with the presidents proposal
and a memorandum agreed upon by
Lewis and Green and the attorney
general was read at the miners
meeting
Presidents proposal.
The text of President Wilson'S pro-
posal to the miners follows:
I have watched with deep concern
the DEVELOPMENTS in the bituminous
coal strike and am convinced there isl
much confusion in the minds of the
people generally an6 possibly of both
parties IN this unfortunate controversy
as to the attitude and purpose of the
government in its handling of the sit
uation.
THE mine owners offered a wage
increase Of 20 per cent conditioned,
however, upon the price of coal being
raised to an amount sufficient TO cover
the proposed increase Of wages. which
would have added at least $3.50 600 !
600 to the annual coal bill of the peo-
Pile. The fuel administrator, in the
light of present information, has TAX
en- the position and | think with en-
tire justification that the public isl
now paying as high prices for coal asI
it ought to be required to pay and that
any wage increase made at this time
out to come out Of The profits of the
coal operators.
In reaching this conclusion the
fuel administrator expressed the per-
sonal opinion that The IA per cent
increase in all mine wages is reason
able because it would eGualize the
VASES ga me e,oSe win llit
cost VI liNlaE pu1 ne mace At peEle'tS
CieaI Iiiat t''e upeldVois auu Hltitet
alo at iperE ~ aEIee upon Il latEg,
increase pIoV,ueu the operators VIII
pay II out VI liel, Proill9 50 tilat t'e
~ ice u coal WoulG remain Tue same.
llle SecIetdiy ol l3poT, III an eILoI
at concentration pet"GsA the pIrIleS eA-
Ia Il. II mi in, fD
pressed ms persohal OPINION IN favor
VI q iarBet l,lerease' IT'S eiIoft At con
cll'a eloh lallea, however because the
coal operators were un"iillh6 10 pay
me seale ne proposed unieSs the gov.
eminent would advance the price OF
eoal 10 lhe pupllc ana TINS the gov
elnmlehI was uhWllins TO 90.
Inc luel administrators mad alSo
sussesleu duaC d tribunal ne cfeateu
IN Wnlch lho miners ana operators
Woulu ne equaily esenled TO con
slGet lurtheF questions or wages ana
WorhIIis cohuitlohs, as wen as pfoLttS
OF operators and proper prices Tor
coal shall' OIL course pc giad TO ald
III me formation OF such tribunal.
uhaefstahd the operators nave
generally agreed 10 ABSORB an increase !
VI ! per cent N wages so mat tne
PUBIC Wouiu pay not 70 exceed tle
present price llAea py the iuei aH
iiliHlstrator ana mus way Is opened
70 secure the eoal OF "hlch lhe people
stand III heed II the miners VIII re-
sumo Work on lilese terms pehdlhs q
thotoush lliVestlSatlon py an impair
ual COMMISSION when may readlust
potn wages ana prices.