Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-12-19

ers.''
The Presidents Proposal.
President Wilson's proposal to the
miners as basis for settling the
strike is as follows:
II have watched with deep concern
the developments in the bituminous
coal strike and am convinced there
is much confusion In the minds or
the people generally and possibly, of
both parties to this unfortunate con-
troversy as to the attitude and pur-
poses Of the government in Its ham
ding Of the situation.
'The mine owners offered wage
increase OF 20 per cent. conditioned,
however, upon the price of coal being
raised to an amount sufficient to cover
this proposed Increase Of wages which
would have added at least $10O, O0O,OO0
to the annual coal bill Of the people.
1.-THE fuel administrator, in the light
of present information, has taken the
position, and I think with entire JUS
LITIGATION, that the public is now pay
ing as high prices for coal as it ought
| 10 DC Ic4ulfGQ 70 pay
Would Equalize Wages.
''In reaching his conclusion, the fuel
! administrator expressed the personal
opinion that the Ii per cent increase
In all mine wages is reasonable, De-
cause it would eQualize the miners
wages on the average with the cost of
living, but he made it perfectly clear
that the operators and miners are at
liberty to agree upon larger increase,
provided the operators will pay it out
of their profits so that the price or
coal would remain the same.
The secretary of labor, in an eff
fort at Cancellation between the par
ties. expressed his personal opiniO1 IN
favor Of larger increase. His Efforts
at concilation failed, however, be-
cause the coal operators were unwill-
ing to pay the scale he proposed IN
less the government would advance
the price of coal to the public and this
the government was unwilling to do.
1.-THE fuel administrator had also
suggested that a tribunal be created
| in which the miners and operators
would be equally represented to con-
slider further questions Of wages and
working conditions as we'll as profits
of operators and proper prices for
coal. shall, of course. be glad to aid
in the formation of such tribunal.
Assured Steady Employment.
81 understand the operators have
generally agreed to absorb an in
crease of IA per cent in wages. so that
the public would not pay to exceed the
present price fixed by the fuel adj
ministrator, and thus way is opened
to secure the coal of which the people
stand l.. need, if the miners will re-
sumo work on these terms pending a
tt orough investigation by an impartial
commission which may readjust both
wages and prices.
by the acceptance of such plan
the miners are assured immediate
steady employment at substantial
! increase in wages and are further as
sured prompt investigation and action
upon questions which are not now set
tied to their satisfaction.
/
understanding of these points they
will promptly return to work. If, new
ertheless. they persist in remaining on
strike, they will put themselves in an
attitude of striking in order IL force
the government to increase the price
of coal to the public, so as to give a
] still further increase in wages at this
time rather than allow the question of
further Increase in wages to be
dealt with in an orderly manner by
fairly constituted tribunal represent
ing all parties interested.
Must Resume Work.
.No group of our people can justify
such position, and the miners owe it
70 themselves. their families, their
fellow workmen in other industries
and to their country TO rerlrn to
work.
Immediately upon general re-
sumption of mining | shall be glad to
aid in the prompt formation of s''cll
tribunal as have indicated to make
further inquiries into this whole mat
ter and to review not only the reason
nbleness of the wages at which the
,ainers start to work, but also the rea-
sonahleness of the government prices
! for coal.
"Such a tribunal should within six
~ DAYS make its report, which could
he used as basis for negotiation for
wage agreement / muse make 1t
clear. however, that the government
cannot give its aid to any such fur
ther investigation until there is gen.
eral resumption Of work.
II ask every individual miner TO
give his personal thought to what |
saw. I hope he understands fully that
he will be hurting his own interest
and the interest of his family and will
he throwing countless other laboring
| men out of employment if he shall
continue the present strike, and fur
ther. that he will create an unneces-
sary and unfortunate prejudice
against organized labor which will be
Injurious to the best interests Of work
ingmen everywhere.
WOODROW WILSON"
composition Of two parts copper and
one part zinc This alloy has been
found to possess the best physical
C,,oli+ioS-that iS high tensile strength