Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-23
United Mine Workers For
mally Refuse Offers of Sec
retary Wilson, Seeking to
Avert Nov. 1 Walkout
PROFFER FAILS TO
MEET SITUATION
Lewis Declares Proposition
Indefinite, and Inadequate;
Favorable to Operators, but
Men Are Dissatisfied
By Associated Press

Washington, Oct 23.-The United
Mine Workers OF America to-day
formally rejected the proposal by
Secretary Wilson for settlement of
the coal strike called for Novem-
ber /.
John L. Lewis. president of the
miners organization, announced
that the proposal was indefinite, in
adequate, and failed to meet the sit
uation. He added that he would so
report to the joint conference this
afternoon.
Score Proposition
officers of the United Mine Workers
of America. in a formal statement de-
clared Secretary Wilson's proposition
and the proposition of the operators are
not only alike but both follow exactly
the lines laid down by Senator Freling-
huysen in his speech in the Senate, in
which he understood to disclose the
basis on which the operators would
deal with the miners"
This remarkable similarity" the
statement added was at least an extra
ordinary coincidence"
Before the joint conference began it
was announced that the operators had
accepted the Wilson plan for settling
the strike.
Wilson'S Offer
Secretary Wilson's offer, which
prevented actual disruption of the
proceedings, set forth the case as
follows:
That wages be increased at the
expiration of the present contract
in amount equal to the differences
between increases in wages received
by mine workers since July 1914,
and the increase in the cost of living
since that date.
THAT the increase be effective
from the termination of the present
agreement until March 81. 1920.
That on these conditions the
strike order be withdrawn and that
the miners continue at work on
these terms; that negotiations be
entered into at the usual time for
making the new scale effective after
March 81, 1920"
The silence that prevailed during
the reading of the terms on which
Mr.. Wilson hoped to settle the strike
was rudely broken by a quick de-
mand from John L. Lewis, presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers
of America, that the Secretary ex-
plain what he meant in the opening
paragraph of his statement concern
ing expiration of the present con-
tract"
The Secretary, bearing in mind
that this was one of the principal
issues in dispute, said it would be a
matter for negotiation. The miners
have contended that the wartime
wage agreement under which they
have been working ended with the
armistice, while operators argue
that it will hold until peace is
formally declared by ratification of
the Treaty.
Proceedings Stormy
At times during yesterday the pro-
ceedings were stormy, with half a
dozen delegates trying to speak at
once There was an exciting mo-
ment when President Lewis crossed
swords with Secretary Wilson over
remarks attributed to the latter by
Senator Frelinghuysen, of New Jer..
sey, in an address in the Senate Tues
day. Senator Frelinghuysen was
quoted as saying that Mr.. Wilson
told the Senate Interstate Commerce
Committee that demands of the mine
workers were impossible and the
miners wanted an explanation.
Mr.. Wilson explained cheerfully,
saying he was talking in a private
meeting, and that he had said de-
mands of both miners and operators
were impossible. The statement by
the Secretary was satisfactory to the
miners delegation, and later in the
day, in a statement to newspaper
men, Lewis sharply attacked Sena-
tor Frelinghuysen for deliberate
Misrepresentation of the facts"