Arizona republican., 1919-12-07
CAN I INCREASE
PRICE Of COAL
To RAISE WAGES
Compromise On Basis Of
Higher Prices To Con-
sumers Flatly Rejected By
Fuel Adminishator-Op-
orators Must Bear Full
Burden, He Insists.
[RepubIiean A. p. leased Wirel

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.-Fuel Ad-
ministrator Garfield today flatly re-
jected all efforts to compromise the
present coal strike on a basis which
would mean an increase of the price Of
coal to consumers.
THE cabinet stands back of me on
the principle involved" DIR. Garfield
declared, though l am responsible for
the presentation of the facts which
moved their decision. / am sick and
tired of proposals to make the people
bear additional burdens"
Refuses Advance in Price
The administrator declared the f,fel
administration alone had authority to
increase coal prices necessary to pay
wage advances in excess of the IA per
cent proposed by the government. So
long as he was fuel administrator. he
said, no advance in the price TO the
| consumer for this purpose would be
allowed.
The fuel administration statement
was made after q day spent in hearing
compromise proposals from delegations
of business men and others from vari-
GUS parts Of the country. Using the
most emphatic language, DR.. Garfield
| left no doubt that he regarded compro-
mise proposals as a monkey wrench"
/ thrown into machinery which he be-
| lieves will operate to adjust the situa-
| tion with justice both to the public
and the mine workers.
The position of the government is
| that no wage advance in excess of IA
per cent Is possible under the price OF
S2.36 per ton mine run. fixed on coal
/ by the fuel administrator At the same
time it was pointed out that the gov
ernment had no authority to fix wages
and that no objection could be inter
posed If operators favorably situated
agree to pay more than the IL per CEN
advance out of their own profit. 1t i.
not the opinion of the fuel administra.
ton, however, that enough mines t.
supply the country with coal can b,
operated on this basis.
1 Discussing restrictions imposed il
the use of coal DR.. Garfield said to-
night that local differences in the Sc
verify Of the application of the curtail.
ment orders soon would disappear un.
der measures now being taken by tn,
railroad administration which is actin.
as the fuel administration agent il
distributing coal. He said further tha
the production of coal had increased
every day this week and indicated hi
belief that majority of miners woul,
sooner or later accept the settlemen
basis which the union leaders have re
. jected.
Another step was taken today b,
the fuel administration to restrict Goa
consumption by resuming the fixe,
prices on coke established during tn
war. Distribution of coke also will b
regulated. Gas coke, however, will no
be affected.
Attorney General Palmer today con
ferred with President Wilson on tn
general situation and took steps t
prosecute oil producers in the west VIII
are charged in a complaint made b
Senator Capper of Kansas with in
creasing the price of oil from 81 to s4.5
: a barrel since the coal strike.
The railroad administration an
nounced an embargo on oil, effectiv
Monday. which is designed TO max
available full supply for industries
the west and thus make it necessar
TO haul less coal TO that section fror
i the east. Factories in the east usin
I oil may obtain their supply as here
I tofore through permit system an
I shipments in transit or on order wi
! not be affected. Reports on coal prc
: duction served to increase the optin
ism Of officials handling the fuel si-
uation. Additional mines were said ,
be in operation now and productio
was steadily increasing though it cor
tinues less than half the normal.
Figures made public today by II
geological survey showed that, despi
the Thanksgiving day layoff, minel
remaining at work since the strike b,
gan produced 5,429,O 900 tons during Il
week ending November 20. This WI
about As per cent of normal and l p
cent greater than the output the wee
I before.
Total production from the beginnir
of the strike on November l to Il
end of November was placed at Is
$4,000 tons, compared with 5S,270,0
tons In October, or about A la p
cent
Charges of the American Wholesa
Coal Dealers association that the raj
road administration was refusing
pay for coal confiscated or divert
were denied at administration hea
quarters. Officials there said the
had been some delay in making pa
ments, but that this had been obviat
by the plan of arranging credi
: through the federal reserve banks.