Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-30
Says Radicals Plan to Force
Federal Operation of Mines
Official in Touch With Activities, Comment
ing ON Coal Crisis, Makes Disclosure.
Government Ready for Trouble-Makers.

ton" was given yesterday evening by
DIR. Garfield before leaving for his
home. at WilliamstoWn, Mass, where
he will spend the week end.
Report has come to me that the
present crisis in the coal industry will
be used to break down the labor
unions" DR.. Garfield said. Il wish to
say that l am as much opposed to an
attempt to destroy the principle of
collective bargaining and the union of
working men as l am to the effort OF
labor leaders to keep labor salts
rega rlless of the public interest, or
to the efforts of leaders in the In
dustrial world to boost profits unduly
to the hurt of the public
ANY attempt to complicate the is
sue at this time by seeking to destroy
the union of the mine workers or the
principle of collective bargaining will
by me-"
Statistics Of Production.
Official statistics showed production
NAL at the end of the first month of
the strike: as compared with 20 per
cent during the first week and 33 per
cent the second week. The weekly re-
port of the United States geological
survey last night showed that AIS per
the third week.
DIR. Garfield also issued yesterday
evening detailed analysis of the fig
ures on which he based his conclu-
sion for IA per cent wage advance.
Explaining wherein he differed with
Secretary Wilson, he called attention
to the fact that the principle involv-
ed is of far greater Importance than
the figures arrived at"
"The principle applied in arriving at
IA per cent is different in kind and
character from that applied in arriv-
ing at 31.6l per cent, and hence, any
attempt to average the two or to COM
promise the result is impossible" DR..
Garfield said
A wage advance of a1.61 per cent
as suggested by Secretary Wilson,
would give total advance since 1913
or 107.4 per cent, as compared with a
maximum advance of 70 per cent in
living costs, he added.
Method of Paying Workers.
Miners are paid by the ton," he
said. Other mine workers are paid
by the day. The day laborers gen.
orally have received. advances of
some instances. in excess of the in
crease in the cost of living
The proposition that a general in
crease of S1.61 per cent be given is
simply a proposition to give to all
mine labor the percentage of increase
required to bring the class of labor
that has received the lowest per cent
up to the present level of living costs,
even though that advances the other
groups far above the amount neces-
sary."
DR.. Garfield pointed out that sta
tistics Of the national industrial con-
ference board showed only a 70 per
cent increase in the cost of living,
and that on this basis, the miners
would be entitled to only s.s per cent
wage advance.
Estimates OF Increased Wage.
On an annual output of 100000, 900
tons, DIR. Garfield said, the additional
wage bill would approximate $780,
100000, with a 31.bl per cent ad-
vance. 107.000,000, with I4.1 per
cent increase, and $74,0O0.0O0 with a
9.S per cent advance,
The average earnings of all mine
workers in 1918 was SI,550.56, or 1913
per day worked. DR.. Garfield said This
conclusion was based ON information
taken directly from the monthly cost
sheets on which the operators report
ed to the Federal Trade Commission.