Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-12-05
US. EFFORTS TO
END STRIKE FAIL
Offer of IA Per Cent Increase
FIatIy Rejected by the
Miners.
FARLEY ANJOURNS Sine Die
Operators Agree to Accept the Govern
ments Proposal as a Basis for
Settlement-LeWis Claims In
Justice Done the Miners.

Washington, Nov. 2S.-The govern
ment's offer of a IA per cent increase
of wages was fatty rejected by the
coal miners.
As result the conference between
the miners and operators adjourned
sine die with the settlement OF the
wage On,roversy still Sin the air." No
provision Was made for the resumption
of the conference, the miners declar-
ing that they were going home and
sit tight"
The miners rejection came after the
operators had accepted the govern
ments proposal as a basis for a set
tlenent although they declared that
the increase without raising the price
Of coal to the public would mean the
loss of profits TO large number Of
mines and would seriously interfere
with production.
After the rejection the operators
rendered compromise offering to sub
nit the entire dispute to a board Of
ARBITRATION. This also was refused by
the miners and the conference took an
adjournment.
Statement by Lewis.
The following statement was dictat-
ed by Acting President John L. Lewis
of the United Mine Workers:
The miners and operators joint
conference adjourned sine die. The
mine workers representatives declined
70 In
ceptance of the IA per cent increase
offered
1.-THE operators pretended to be will
ing to grant this IA per cent increase,
but in the samG breath stated that they
would be unable to operate a large
number of their mines unless they had
an increase in the selling price of coal.
1t would be foolish for us TO attempt
TO make any agreement with the op-
orators unless their mines were to be
operated
THE position of the mine workers
is unchanged. We hold that the Uni
ted States government cannot break
its word. The pledge given by Secre-
tary Of Labor Wilson to grant a BIG
per cent increase in wages must be re-
deemed.
''In my judgment Doctor Garfield
and the cabinet have committed the
most colossal blunder in the industrial
history of our nation. They are blind
ly following an academic theory with
out regard TO justice to the mine work
ers or the effects Of such theory upon
the people Of the country.
Says Justice Is Denied
THE responsibility for the crisis now
confronting the nation must lie upon
those statesmen who are using the
powers of the government to Cypress
and deny justice to the great element
of citizenship directly concerned in the
mining industry.
81 cannot believe that the people of
our country will indorse a policy of
OPPRESSION and repression which
means continued industrial chaos and
intense suffering on the part of the
mine workers and our entire citizen
ship"
The letter sent to Doctor Garfield
by the operators of the central COM
petitive coal field accepting the gbv-
ernment's offer reads:
Recognizing the seriousness of the
present crisis ard the urgent need of
the country for COAL we wish to advise
you hat. subject to your approval and
conditioned upon the mines resuming
operations Immediately, the operators
scale committee of the central com
netitive coal field accept as a basis
for the settlement Of the present wage
controversy and termination of the
strike. the figures submitted by you
TO the Joint meeting of operators and
miners held Yesterday evening, name
". an average increase of IA per cent
70 he granted to all classes of mine la
hnr, such increase to be apportioned in
accordance with the wage bases that
are acceptable to the employees and
employers. thus preserving present
diffprentiaIs. Otherwise than as above.
modified in complete accordance with
YOUR proposal, the present contract in
all it's term and conditions to be con-
tinued in full force and effect until
March 81. 1922.
1--WE have already notified the miners
to this effect.
Says Profits Eliminated.
"At the same time we wish to call
your attention to the fact that the ac-
ceptance of this increase in wages
without any increase in selling prices
entirely eliminates the profits of a
large number of mines. Such large