The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-10-29
Dorset Carter Coal 0perat.
orS' Head, Makes An
nounCement at Coal Meet
ing at McAlester,
(By Staff Corrsspondent.)

MeALESTER, Okla, Oct. 20
Claiming that the IntsrnationA
Mine Workers Of America we're
calling . strike In the soft eosi
mines Of Oklahoms without even
having made . demand, Dorset
Carter, president Of the Oklahoma
Coal Operators association, today
offered TO meet the miners II co.,
ference immediately and negotiats
. new agreement, providing the
miners would call off the strike
proposed for November I.
Gilman Of Debate.
The offer came as the climax OF .
morning Of dramatic debate between
operators, miners and representatives
Of the public. called by Governor
Robertson IN an effort TO avert the
impending strike. Throughout the
morning the attitude OF the miners
was that the strike was inevitable and
that they could not break away iron
the international organization and
make a separate agreement affecting
k,tric, No. q. which comprises.
Arkansas. Oklahoma and Texas
When the meeting adjourned for
luncheon, Governor Robertson an
nounoed that although the miners,
seemed 70 have their minds made up.
the conference would continue during
the afternoon and declared a way Is
going 10 he found to operate the mines
regardless OF the order OF the interna-
tional union.
The public must not suffer the
calamity that the union proposes 10
visit upon u.s." he asserted.
$50 Attended.
More than go persons attended the
morning session. Governor Robertson
presided. lie asked the operators 70
line up on one side OF the hall and
the miners on the other. with the rep.
resen,a,ives OF the public occupying
the middle ground. In calling the
convention 10 order Governor Robert
son made it plain that he proposed
10 find way to avert the closing OF
the mines.
When the public health OF 4 great
state is jeopardired by the miners os
the operators. il il time for the in.
nocent. third party, which is in the
great hajou,y. to act, and I assure Il
will act to the limit OF It's authority
TO have statute law to know what to
do in case like the present issue.
State Baeks Robertson.
| Five representatives OF the public
from Hennessey. King!isher, Fred
erick, Ardmore and Enid. told the
meeting that the people Of their con.
munities had decided to stand With
the governor in any measure neees-
sary to keep the mines running.
| John Wilkinson. president Of The
district miners organization, wss
called to Indianapolis today 10 attend
the international scale committee
meeting and sen, a letter 10 fhe con-
Nention, defending IN its entirety. ths
paper OF fourteen demands the miner,
are making ~
| The spokesman for the miners 10.
day was Jack Dillon, vice presiden,
OF the district. Az the outset tn
miners were loath to tell their Rriev.
anees. Dillon would not even read
Wilkinson's statement until after tn
coal operators had stated their sids
OF the controversy.
Miners Earn o7o.A Month.
Dillon introduced figures SHOWING
tina, the Oklahoma coal miners aver,
aged an income OF N0A month
during the first six month, OF 1915
and that the average miner worked
l70 days during the last year.
i Every spokesman who appeared los
the miners maintained the absolut6
fairness and necessity Of q 60 pr.
cent increase in pay, q five-day weGh
and six.hour day. "
The attitude Of the miners q ~
district is that they cannot break -
the international because ~ -
wage fixed for the central coonpofi1)G
states, composed Of Ohio, t11h1E
Indiana and western PnasulvoGli ~
has been usetisfor thirty yeasv q W
basis Of the agreement n hi, -
other outlying districts. M
i View n oDssstsrs.
The view Of the operstoss, q q
pressed BY Csrter. D tAat he OH
homa Opsretorsi association h a 4
detendtMt tsdG ~ affiliated MI
any nationa1 e8aaisation Of coal OF
eratqss, ~ thSslA u dealt vith Il
disldstl)t ins stkls Instance, where III
national eeavsatioM of coal miners !
. bisamsal convention In September. ~
thssssed . ssneral strike in al mine
n the eosntry. II q new waae agree
ment eeuId not be negotiated 10 Ii
centfai states s,
II Wilkinson admitted In hs @011q
y that the dealings with the opep1 e
. Oklahoma always NED besa
!. tory and the stlituds a H. l
4 today wss thse ~ pGall( M
e dssify Of OkisAGqS
4 0,aAe N anfSeP AGen>o1