Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-11-26
Reaching Agreemet on Pro-
posal to Be Made to Min
ers and Operators.
PLAN TO BE PUT UP
TO JOINT MEETING
Operators and Miners 20 Meet At s
p. N. to Listen to Terms Of Proposal
Cabinet Deadloeksd Many Hours
Over Question Of Basis For Strike
Settlement - Labor Secretary and
Administrator Garfield Disasrss.

unai statement on pen1It OK tne
government viii be made today to-the
miners and operators by Fuel Admin.
istrator Garfield. Final decision was
reached at the meeting Of the cabinet
today. The fuel administrator called
a joint session Of miners and operators
for s p. m. to receive tho decision.
Another effort to agree on basis
for computing wage advances to
miners was made today by President
Wilson's cabinet. while the operators
and miners marked time In their
negotiations.
Meantime 50 many miner. had re-
mained on strike that the coal situs-
as national crisis Steps to meet
the situation were under consideration
by the fuel Administrations central
committee with an order prohibiting
the manufacture Of coke as the frst
move.
The controversy in the cabinet CEN
tered around the proposal Of DR.. Gar
field that the advances In the central
coal field be taken into consideration
and Secretary Wilson's proposal that
wages Of pick miners be the basis.
Mr.. Wilson's proposal was supported
by John L. LAWS today.
Pick mining has been taken a. q
basis OF every wage contract includ-
ing the Washington 1877 agreement,
Mr.. Lewis said. Taking issue with the
operators statement that only 20 per
cent Of the miners In tho central terri
tory use the picks. Lewis said the
number Of men IN Pennsylvania. Ohio,
Indiana ana Illinois. s.sos4auDsSse9-ane1
machine work were practically equal.
On the contrary AZ . whole about ~
per cent Of tho total amount mined -
dug without pick
Minors Demands Rejected.
While neither Dr. Garfield nor mem.
bers Of the cabinet would say what
the cabinets decision was, It was re-
ported that the fuel administrator had
won his point for an increase Of 20
to 2s per cent in wages. ~ against
81 per cent proposed BY Secretary
Wilson.
DR.. GarhelTs statement to the min
ers and operators was expected to he
in the nature Of an ultimatum. The
20 to Is per cent increase was said to
be acceptable to tho operators. but
doubt was expressed as to whether the
miners would approve IL. After the
cabinet meeting the feeling was that
the operators would be called on to
bear all tho wage increase. Thus far
the position OK the mine union officials
has been that they could not accept
anything less than the original de-
mand for so per cent increase and
a thirty hour week. Should they hold
to this view it might be several weeks
before settlement could DO reached.
Bones % Cabinet Contention. -
From unofficial sources tho status
Of the situation was outlined last night
as follows;
That the cabinet Is In disagreement
on the amount Of wage increase to be
offered to the miners, the difference
being one Of judgment as to the ac-
tuai amount necessary to meet the in
creased cost Of living since 1917. ..
That Secretary Of Labor Wilson.
leading ono group which has proposed
an increase Of Sl.6l per cent to the
miners as fair to all concerned, is
strenuousiy opposing lower figure
recommended by Attorney General
Palmer, Director of Railways Hines,
and Fuel Administrator Garfield.
That tho dispute over figures in
wolves. in addition to the cost Of living
increase. the important factor Of the
public and whether 1t should be called
upon to bear any Of the burden thru
Sn Nn 80
bituminous coal.
oAiset to Gouslne Public.
That Or. Garfield and Mr.. Hines be-
Meve tho proposed wage increase
should bs absorbed Jointly by the op-
orators and the public, the operators
to yield q percentage Of their war
profits.
That some cabinet members strsn-
uously oppose any authorized increase
in the price OF coal to the consumer.
holding. with Mr.. McAdoo, that 1t ia
unnecessary.
Notwithstanding the silence Of all
cabinet members and their advisers, 1t
was apparent that the dispute was one
involving 4 combination of economics
and politics.
Secretaries Lane and Daniels were
believed to agree with Secretary Will
son that the miners are entitled to an
increase Of 81 per cent, and feel that
this could be absorbed by the operat-
ors' war profits without It being nec-
essary for an advance In the price Of
coal.
VOTE ON HINES OFFER.