Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-11-28
Isl: TROOPS
To GUARD
MINERS
Government to Seize Mines
Where Owners Do Not Show
Disposition to Cooperate In
Increasing Production.
By The Associated Press

By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Nov. 28-Seizurc
of bituminous coal mines where the
owners do not show a disposition to
cooperate in increasing production
and the use of troops to protect all
miners who desire to work, has been
decided upon by the government in
an effort to end the coal strike, IL
was stated today officially.
In mines seized by the government
the fourteen per cent wage advance
agreed upon by the cabinet, will be
put into immediate effect, 1t was said.
These plans of the government
were agreed upon by the cabinet last
Wednesday, officials said. so as to
meet the situation resulting from a.
refusal of the operators and miners
or both to agree to the governments
wage increase proposal
Cabinet officers expected many
mine owners to put into effect volun-
tarily the fourteen per cent wage IN
crease Whether the mines Of those
refusing to do so would be seized was
not made clear, btu 1t was said there
was no general plans for government
control; that each Individual case
would be decided on its merits.
Mines taken over by the government
will be operated by the fuel adn1inis-
tration, but details as to compensa-
ed. While various federal agencies
were preparing to carry out the gov
ernment's program, Fuel Administra-
tor Garfield reaffirmed in even more
emphatic terms disposition that
"profiteering on the part of either
labor or capital will not be tolerated.
officials of both the operators ana
miners organizations professed ina
bility to forecast what developments
ixI
bring forth and both sides frankly
admitted they were awaiting the
governments next move. In official
circles, despite the lack of public ex-
preston, however, the view was held
that only drastic action could and
would be taken and that the mines
would be opened at whatever cost.
Fuel Administrator Garfield whose
proposal, approved by the cabinet
for q fourteen per cent. wage IN
crease. was rejected by the miners
with bitter comment and accepted by
the operators although they protest.
ed It would put some of the mines
out of business, because there was no
provision to increase the price Of coal,
correspondingly still withheld COM
ment early today.
Some of those in touch with the
situation, expressed the opinion that
the cabinet in considering the Gar
field proposal, had decided on course
of action in event of rejection OF the
IA per cent compromise and that an
imm ediate announcement of their pro-
posed action would be made.
In some quarters a rift In the clouds
of uncertainty was seen in the state
ment by several of the operators that
as an organized body. they had ceased
to function and that individual ueces-
sity and inclination would govern their
actions.
This was taken as an Indication that
sc me of the operators would attempt
to resume coal production regard .ess
of the strike or action by other opera
tors, by dealing directly with their
own employees.
Reports from all sections showed
the country on the verge of fuel
famine, with stocks so low In some
communities. that great suffering was
feared unless coal production Is
quickly put back to normal.