Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-10
Bu Associated Press

Indianapolis, Dec. 10.-The text
of President Wilson'S proposal to
the miners in session here was re-
ceived late yesterday and is as fol-
lows:
II have watched with deep con-
cern the developments in the bitumi-
nous coal strike and am convinced
there is much confusion in the
minds of the people generally and
possibly of both parties to this un-
fortunate controversy as to the at
titude and purposes of the govern
ment in it's handling of the situa-
ton.
THE mine owners offered a wage
increase of 20 per cent, conditioned,
however, upon the price of coal be-
ing raised to an amount SUFFICIENT
to cover this proposed increase OF
wages. which would have added at
least $3.50, 100000 to the annual coal
bill of the people. The fuel ad-
ministrator in the light of present
information has taken the position
and l think with entire justification,
that the public is now paying as high
prices for coal as it ought to be re-
quested to pay and that any wage
increase made at this time ought to
come out of the profits of the coal
operators.
OPPOSES PEOPLE PAYING BILL
I'm reaching this conclusion, the
fuel administrator expressed the
personal opinion that the II per
cent increase in all mine wages is
reasonable because it would equalize
the miners wages on the average
with the cost of living, but he made
it perfectly clear that the operators
and the miners are at liberty to
agree upon n large increase provided
the operators will pay it out of their
profits so that the price of coal
would remain the same.
The secretary of labor, in an
effort at conciliation between the
parties expressed his personal
opinion in favor of a larger increase.
His effort at conciliation failed how
ever, because the coal operators
were unwilling to pay the scale he
proposed unless the government
would advance the price of coal to
the public and this the government
was unwilling to do.
The fuel administrator had also
suggested that tribunal be created
in which the miners and operators
would be equally represented to con-
slider further questions of wages and
working conditions, as we'll as profits
of operators and proper prices for
coal. I shall, of course, be glad to
aid in the formation of such a trl-
bunal.
Il understand the operators have
generally agreed to absorb an in
crease of IA per cent. in wages, so
that the public would pay not to ex-
ceed the present price fixed by the
fuel administrator, and thus a way
is opened to secure the coal of which
the people stand in need, if the
miners will resume work on those
terms pending 4 thorough investiga-
ton by an impartial commission
which may readjust both wages and
prices.
by the acceptance of such a plan,
the miners are assured immediate
steady employment at a substantial
increase in wages and are further
assured prompt investigation and ac-
ton upon questions which are now
settled to their satisfaction. I must
believe that with clear understand
ing of these points, they will prompt
ly return to work. If, nevertheless,
they persist in remaining on strike,
they will put themselves in an atti-
tude of striking in order to force the
government to increase the price of
coal to the public, so as to give a
still further increase in wages at this
time rather than allow the question
of a further increase in wages to be