South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-21
TEXT OF PRESIDENT
WILSON'S LETTER TO
COAL COMMISSIONERS

BY Associated Press:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-The
text Of the presidents letter 10 Mr.
Robinson. identified with those sent
TO Mr.. White and Mr. Peale fol-
lows:
My dear Mr.. Robinson:
ION oct. 9, 1917. with the official
approval and sanction Of the United
states fuei administration, an agree
ment (since known as the Washing
ton wage agreemenD was entered
into between the operators and the
union miners and mine workers Of
the so-called central competitive
bituminous coal fields composed Of
western Pennsylvania, Ohio. Indi-
ana and Illinois. which provided for
an increase in the production Of
bituminous coal and an increase IN
wages to the miners and mine work
ers from the then existing scale Of
compensation. The agreement con-
tanned the following clause:
subject TO the next biennial con
vention OF the United Mine Workers
Of America. the mine workers rep
resentatlves agree that the present
contract be extended during the con-
tinuation of the war and not 10 ex-
coed two years from April J.,
1878.
subsequently. on Jan. 70, 1913.
this agreement was approved by the
convention OF the international
union United Mine Workers Of
America.
submit Report.
AT the fourth biennial conven-
ton Of the international union
United Mine Workers OF America.
held in Cleveland. Ohio. from Sept
- to Sept. %, 1919, the so-called
scale committee submitted a report
recommending, among other things
that the convention demand a so
percent increase applicable 10 all
classlications Of day labOrers and
TO all tonnage, yardaEe and dead
work rates throughout the central
competitive field; that all new wage
agreements replacing existing agree
ments should be based on a six hour
work day from bank 20 bank. five
DAYS per week: the abolition OF all
automatic penalty clauses; that all
contracts I'm the bituminOus fields
should be declared 10 expire on Nov.
4, 1919; and that in the event sat
isfactory wage agreement is not Sc
cured for the central competitive
field before Nov. Z, 1919, TO replace
the one now in effect the interna-
tional officers be authorized TO and
and hereby instructed 20 call gen
eral strike OF an bituminOus miners
and mine workers throughout tho
United States, the same 10 become
effective Nov I. 1912
Hold Conference.
subsequently conferences were
he;d between representative or the
operators and Of the miners az
which the miners demands were
submitted and declined on the part
Of the operators. The officers OF the
international union. United Mine
Workers Of America then issued so,
called strike orders 20 all their To-
cal unions and members, requiring
them TO cease work in the mining OF
bituminous coal at midnight on Fri
day Oct q.
con oct. Is. 1879. the secretary
I Of labor called a conference between
the operators and miners Of the
bituminous mines in the central
competitive field. which conference
also resulted in failure TO reach an
agreement. In a letter 90 Sec'y VIII
son which was submitted 20 the con-
ference, I said:
IF for any reason the miners
and operators fail 20 come 20 "a
mutual understanding the interests
OF the public are OF such vital i'm
! portance in connection with the
production Of coal that II is in
cumbent upon them 20 refer the
matters in dispute % a board Of ar
bitration for determination and "a
continue the operation OF the mines
pending the decision Of the board.
Issues Statement
"Su bsequentIy on OCT. IS. 1919.
/ issued a statement in which 7 said
that a strike in the circumstance
therein described Us not only IN
justlfable; IL is unlawful and add
ed.
81 express no opinion on the