New-York tribune., 1919-12-10

y
Green of the mine workers called upon
him Saturday afternoon, and were
1 shown the Presidents statement. The
union eaders, Mr.. Palmer said, finally
agreed to urge their general committee
to accept the Presidents plan and
called the meeting here to-day.
u. In order that the plan for settlement
might be submitted to the general COM
mittee this afternoon the government
this morning asked and obtained post
ponement of hearing of charges of
criminal contempt pending in the Fed
eral Court here against the eighty
. four union heads who form the gen
eral committee.
At the same time Judge Anderson
granted motion by government at
torneys for postponement of Federal
violation of the Lever law and anti
trust acts by both miners and opera
tors The contempt proceedings are
set for hearing next Tuesday and the
grand jury investigation for the fol-
lowing day.
Action Taken Without Comment
Attorney General Palmer was in the
courtroom This morning when the con-
tempt cases .ame up for trial, but took
no part in .he proceedings. The gov
ernments request for postponement
was made by C. B. Ames, assistant to
the Attorney General, and by L. Ert
Slack, United States District Attorney.
Judge Anderson made no comment on
the contempt cases or the governments s
, requests. beyond remarks as to when
they should be brought up again.
That opposition to acceptance of the
Presidents plan developed soon after
the miners session convened was evil
denced by scraps Of the speeches which
could be heard outside the hall in a
local hotel In which the meeting was
being held. The argument during the
afternoon was heated and clearly indi-
Gated that the attitude of some of the
delegates undoubtedly was delaying
final decision in favor of ending the
strike
During the day Acting President
Lewis received a telegram from Secre-
tary Wilson urging the miners to ac-
cept the new proposal, and it is known
that this message, together with the
dun agreed upon by Lewis and Green
and the Attorney General, was read at
the miners meeting.
Text Of Presidents Proposal
The text OF President Wilson'S pro-
posal to the miners follows:
~ have watched with deep concern
the developments in the bilumino
coal strike and am convinced there
is much confusion in the minds of
the people generally, and possibly
of both parties to this unfortunate
controversy, as to the attitude and
purposes of the government in its
handling of the situation.
"The mine owners offered q wage
increase of 20 per cent, conditioned,
however, upon the price of coal be-
ing raj ed to an amount sufficient to
cover this proposed increase of
wages, which would have added at
least $3.50 900 900 to the annual coal
bill of the people. The fuel admins
traitor, in the light of present infor-
nation, has taken the position, and
think with entire justification, that
the public is now paying as high
prices for coal as it ought to be re-
quested to pay, ard that any wage
increase made at this time ought to
come out of the profits of the coal
operators.
"In reaching this conclusion, the
fuel administrator expires ed the
personal opinion that the IA per cent
increase in all mine wages is reason
able. because it would equa'ize the
miners wage on the average with
the cost of living; but he made it
perfectly clear that the operators
and the miners are at liberty to
agree upon a larger increase. pro-
vided the operators will pay it out
of their profits so that the price of
coal void rerain the SINE.
Wilson Plan Rejected
''The Secretary of Labor. in an ef-
fort at corciliation between the
parties. expressed his personal opin-
ion in favor of larger increase.
His efforts at concilation failed,
In
= were unwilling to pay the scale he
3 proposed, unless the government
!. would advance the price of coal to
I. the public, and this the government
=, was unwilling to do.
3 "The Fuel Admin strator had also
4 suggested that tribunal be created
2 in which the miners and operators
q would be equally represented. to
= consider further questions of wages
: and working conditions, as we'll as
Z profits OF operators and proper
B. prices for cal l shall, of course,
8. be glad to aid in the formation Of
8 such a tribunal
= 81 understand the operators have
y generally agreed to absorb an in
Z crease of ID per cent in wages, so
s, that the public would pay not to ex-
3 ceed the present price fixed by the
9 Fuel Administrator, and thus way
kS optUtU 10 secure Lne coal OF WnlCN
the people stand in need, if the min
ers will resume work on these terms
!, pending a thorough investigation by
an impartial commission which may
:. readjust both wages and prices.
Return of Miners Predicted
y by the acceptance of such a plan
= the miners arc assured immediate
steady employment at substantial
, increase in wages and are further
s assured prompt investigation and ac-
+ tion upon questions which are not
( now settled to their satisfaction
+ must believe that with a clear un-
derstanding of these points they will
promptly return to work. If, never
theless, they persist In remaining on
strike they will put themselves in
an attitude of striking in order to
& force the government to increase the
/. price of coal to the public, so as to
( give a still further increase in wages
at the time rather than allow the
& question of further increase in
Z wages to be dealt with in an orderly
4. manner by a fairly constituted
tribunal representing all parties
{ interested.
"No group OF our people can JUS
Z tify such a position. and the miners
Z owe it to themselves, their families,
! their fellow workmen in other indus
tries and to their country to return