Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-25
CABINET HOPES
TO DECIDE COAL
WAGE ARGUMENT
IS
Palmer Says Fuel Adminislra-
lion May Not Allow Adj
vance in Price
MINING COST Is SHOWN
Intimated the Operators Will
Have to Bear Any Pay
Increases
Br .fSsociatcG Ptcss.

Washington. Nov. 25.-President
Wilson's Cabinet expected to reach
a decision to-day on the wage con-
troversy between the bituminous coal
miners and operators that would
send the miners back to work.
Before ending the meeting, Attor-
ney General Palmer said that If the
figures as to operators profits given
Yesterday bY former Secretary of the
Treasury McAdoo were correct, ii
was not likely that Fuel Administra-
tor Garfield would permit an in
creased price for coal. Any wage
advance granted, it was, intimated.
wburd nave to come out of operators
profits.
Deadlock Unbrokcn
DR.. Garfield took To the cabinet
meeting bituminous coal production
rost figures prepared by 4. \. Nor
ris engineer for the fuel administra-
tion during the war. who has been
bringing up to date the cost sheets
These figures were expected to fur
nish the basis for an agreement in
the cabinet as to the amount of the
wage luCItdSe lIt OptIdtOiS "Oulu
be called upon to bear
Operators and miners spent two
hours in conference to-day without
breaking the deadlock as to wages.
Leaders on both sides said the nego-
tiaions would not be continued un-
til after the cabinet had acted.
Owing to the disagreement which
had arisen as TO the amount of the
increase in the cost of living. and
consequently the per cent. of wage
advance needed TO meet higher living
costs, great significance was attach
ed TO DR.. Gartield's declaration that
the average total increase in pay
over the 1918 base, which was the
base considered in 1917, should not
exceed the present increase in the
cost OF living over the same base"
1t is also to be considered that
the cost of living will fall rather
than rise during the 1eXt few years"
he added.
Operators View
Operators construed this state
ment as in conflict with the conteu-
tion of Secretary Wilson that miners
should be given thirty-one per
cent. wage advance to equalize the
margin between present wages and a
seventy-nine per cent. rise in living
cost since 1914.
Pointing out that wartime coal
prices were fixed forAhe purpose of
stimulating production, DIR. Garfield
declared that the public would not
now pay the increase over normal
profits allowed during the war. His
further statement that any wage in
crease should he "horne by the oper-
ators or the public. or both" was
generally taken to mean that part
of the advance must come out of the
excess profits of the mining COM
panies.
Garficld's Principles
The five principles announced by
DR.. Garfield were:
"First-The public must not be
asked to pay more than it is now
paying for coal unless it is necessary
to do so in order to provide reason
able wages to the mine workers and
a reasonable profit to the operators.
"Second-The arrangement en-
tered into between the operators. the
mine workers and the fuel admins
tration, with the sanction of the
President of the United States in Oc-
Iober. 1917, vas intended to equalize
the wages of all classes of mine
workers and to be sufficient to cover
the period of the war, but not be-
yond March 81, 1920: hence the
only increase in cost of living which
can now be considered is the in
crease above that provided for by
the average increase in 1917; that
is to say, the average total increase
in pay over the 1913 base. which
was the base considered in 1917,
should not exceed the present aver
age increase in the cost of living
over the same base. 1t is also to be
considered that the cost of living
will fall rather than rise during the
next few years.
"Third-The maximum prices
fixed by the government on coal
were calculated to increase produc-
tion of coal for war purposes. Coal
was basic and the increase impera-
tive. The public, ought not to be
asked to pay and will not now nay
the increase over normal profits
then allowed for the purpose of
stimulating production.
"Fourth-Any increases in wages
now arrived at on the basis of the
foregoing principles should be borne
by the operators or the public or
both as may be determined by the
application of these principles and
should take effect as of the date
when the men return to work.
"Fifth-The needs of the United
States are not alone to be consider
ed; Europe is in desperate need of
coal and should have all that we
can spare"