Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-22
LABOR SECRETARY Y
WILSON IN CHARGE
OF NEGOTIATIONS
Called In by Both Sides in
Effort to Reach
Settlement.
REPORTED HE PROPOSES 81
PER CENT ADVANCE IN PAY
High Government Officials Dis
cuss Drastic Plans to Have
Mines Operated.
WILL ACT EARLY NEXT WEEK
Garfield Declines to Delegate Powers
TO Governors, Saying U. s. Govcrn-
ment VIII Retain Control,
REPORTED HE PROPOSES 81
PER CENT ADVANCE IN PAY
WILL ACT EARLY NExT WEEK
Garfield Declines to Delegate Powers
to Governors, Saying U. s. Govern
ment Will Retain Control,
fBy Associated Is-ey-1

S-.t
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2I.-Secretarv OF
Labor Wilson stepped to the front
again tonight in an effort to bring
miners and operators together, after
jcctcd and the slate wiped clean.
Mr. Wilson is said to have formally
presented n definite proposal for set
llement OF wage disputes which would
Send oltuminous miners back to work
Detorc the country was in the throes
of coal famine. but its nature was
not disclosed. 1t was generally be-
about 81 per cent.
Both sides united in asking him TO
JOIN the joint Suhscale committee after
the miners had definitely rejected a 20
per cent wage advance. and the op-
orators had finally refused to agree TO
counterproposal from the workers for
40 per cent increase, a scven-hour
day on Saturday.
Slate Is Now Clean.
When the conference adjourned after
siS-hour session, Thomas T. Brew.
ster. chairman of the operators, de-
clared that their offer had been with
clean. N5,
Secretary Wilson said that progress
mad been made. and that he would
meet the subcommittee again tomorrow
afternoon.
Comparative data on increases in the
cost OF living and wage advances 10
miners since 1914 was, submitted by Mr..
MS proposition. 1t was said he pro-
posed an increase Of Approximately RI
per cent the difference between tho
cost OF living and wage-increase hg"-,s
announced by the secretary at tho
opening OF the conference last week
An ultimatum served by the operators
.nat mat their offer represented the maxi
mum nun was reaffirmed tonight by Mr..
brewster. who declared it could not
bo Increased unless the government
says we should do it,"
Operators Ask Arbitration.
When the conference failed to agree
on either sides proposition. the op-
TO arbitration, but the miners objected
Ihe operators proposed tribunal OF
nine members, to be chosen in one OF
;nree different ways: each side to pick
the umpire; each side to name four and
the President of the United States tho
ninth, or each side TO name three and
INC INC other three to be chosen BY the
the eounterproposition from the
miners. scaling down their earlier de-
Imanas' It was was submitted by John L.
Workers. after he had conferred VIII
Secretary Wilson. Mr.. Lewis stated
that the new demand for 40 per cent
wage ADVANCE for all sorts of work
wage increases received by the miners
since 1914 and the jump taken by lIvs
ing costs.
The Mine Workers also insisted that
an local differences not covered by
interstate agreement be referred back
TO the districts In which they orjri-.
mated for settlement.
Operators Oner Formally Rejected.
The offer Of the operators as finally
sion was slightly different from, tho
terms submitted yesterday, Mr.. Brew
ster said. The operators stood fast on
the an.sai amount OF the wage increase. but
changes In the present contract.
Ihe coal situation was discussed to-
day ny Attorney-General Palmer, Fuel
HaminlstTatoT ;saI IIat Garfield and Director
tration. DR.. Garfield said they would
meet again Monday. 1t is understood
that drastic plans were agreed upon, il
necessary. m, to bring the coal strike 10
iaid before the Cabinet Tuesday.
DR.. Garfield emphasized i'm a tele.
gram to Governor Harding, of Iowa.
coa pgiees to dsiessts the power Of fixing
me Federal government intended to
retain control of the strike situation.
IN ~ of,,c'al circles it was said that ac-
greatly embarrass the attempt TO reach
settlement here.
Dr. Ga rfeld's message was taken to
.ioan that governors could not change
the wage scale in an effort to rc, ,5e
miners back to work, as the fuel adj
iininistrator m refused to allow increases
IN maximum coal prices to meet in-
creased cost Of production.
Embargo on Anthracite Exports.
An embargo on export OF anthracite
coai, efectire today. was announced
tonight by the fuel administration.
The order directed that mo authr,
cite coal produced in the United States
snall he sold. shipped or distributed
except to dealers or consuraors and for
use ana consumption within the United
Canada" "N'
AS any contract negotiated by the
miners ana operators must be approved
by Dr Garfield before going into effect,
some OF the operators contcnded TO-DAY
no further wage advance could be Of.
Tered without direct authority from ths
fuel administrator "s
WV Accent Md for Camp stuart.