The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1919-11-28
NEWPROPOSAL MADE
TO END COAL STRIKE
THiRTY.oNE PER CENT INCREASE
SAID TO HAVE BEEN BASIS
or LATEST OFFER
MEN REFUSE 20 PER CENT
Then Operators In Turn Refuse Forty
Per Cent Increase Demanded by
Misunderstanding Wilson
Steps to Front

Washington. Nov. ~ Secretary of
Labor Wilson stepped TO the front
again last night In mn effort 10 bring
miners and operators together after
proposal by each side had been re-.
jected and the slate wiped clean.
Mr.. Wilson II said 10 have formally
presented definite proposal for set.
Element OF wage disputes which would
send bitnminous miners back 10 work
before the country was In the throes
NJ u coal famine. but It's nature was
not disclosed. II was generally be-
liered he suggested wage Increase
OF about ~ per cent.
both sides united In asking him to
Join the joint sub scale committee
after the miners had definitely reject
ed a ~ per cent wage advance and the
operators had finally refused 10 agree
To counter proposal from the work
ers for 10 per cent increase, a seven
hour day and six day week. with u
half holiday on Saturday.
Secretary Wilson said that progress
had been made and that he would meet
the subcommittee again this afternoon.
Comparative data on Increases In
the cost OF living and wage advances
to miners since 1914, were submitted
by MFR. Wilson. who declined to make
public his proposition. II was said he
proposed all Increase OF approximately
II per cent. the difference between
the cost of living and wage Increase
figures announced by The secretary at
the opening Of the conference last
week. An ultimatun served by the
operators that their offer represented
the maximum was reafflrmed last
night by 7. r. Brewster for the opera
tors. who declared II could not be in
creased unless the government says
we should do H."
When the conference failed to agree
on either sides proposition the opera.
tors suggested referring the dispute
10 arbitration, but the miners objected
The operators proposed tribunal Of
nine members 10 be chosen In one OF
three different ways: each side To pick
four members and the eight 10 select
the umpire: each side to name -four
and the president of the United States
the ninth: or each side To name three
and the other three To- be chosen by
the president.
The counter proposition from the
miners. scaling down fhelr earlier de
Lewis. acting president OF the unitet
Mine Workers Of America. after h,
had conferred with Secretary Wilson
Mr.. Lewis stated that the new demant
for ~ per cent wage Increase for al
sorts Of work presented the margin
between the wage Increases receive,
by the miners since 1914. and the juml
taken by living costs.
The mine workers also insisted tina
NIL local differences not covered b,
Interstate agreements he referred bacl
TO the districts In which they orig
mated for settlement.
Dr. Garfield emphasized In a tele
gram 10 Governor Harding Of lows
refusing to delegate the power of FIX
Ing coal prices To state executives
that the federal government intende,
TO retain control Of the strike situa
ton. In official circles II was sal
that action by the states at this tim
would greatly embarrass the attemp
to reach settlement here. DIR. Gai
fields message was taken to mean tina
governors could not change the wag
scale In an effort In get the miner
hack In work. ms the fuc, ADMINISTERS
ton refused to allow Increases 1
maximum coal prices 10 meet IN
creased cost Of production.