The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-11-15
Mine HEAD
AGREES TO
NEGOTIATION
Debate in Washington Limit
ed to Central Field After
Long Tangle-Wilson Out
lines Peace Basis.
WAGE RISE Demanded
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
WASHINGTON. Nov. 15.-Accep-
tance without qualification by the
mine workers of Secretary of Labor
Wilson's proposal for negotiations of
nation wide wage scale agreement,
was announced at the conference to-
day by John L. Lewis. acting president
fthe United Mine Workers of Amer.
lea.
Speaking on behalf OF operators
outside of the central competitive
field, F. W. Lukens. president of the
Southwestern Interstate Coal Opera,
tors association, proposed returning
to the old policy of allowing the basic
scale to be negotiated by the opera.
tors and miners in the central compe-
titive field.
President Lewis sharply denied the
charges of bad faith over the coal
strike. and William Green. secretary.
treasurer of the mine workers union,
took exception to Secretary Wilson's
statement Friday that a so per cent
in coal miners wages was impossible
Green said that the federal govern.
ment should see that the miners got
NAihI al boSA llACl CdSO W dliO" luSm al
American standard of living.
Work on Central Basis.
When faced with the refusal of the
mine operators to make arrangement
on a national basis, President Lewis
of the mine workers, and Phil H.
Penna, for the operators, finally
agreeing to proceed with negotiations
covering the central competitive
field
The secretary declared plainly in
his speech that the miners must get
away from their demands of a thirty
hour week and a so per cent increase
in wages. and that an unyielding po
sition on the part of either operators
or miners must be broken if peace is
to be brought to the bituminous coal
fields.
AS a basis for procedure to attain
this end. Mr.. Wilson presented three
plans for the conferences considera
ton as follows:
| First negotiation through joint
wage scale committees representing
all districts; second, negotiation
through concurrent sessions of com.
mittees from the various districts.
and third. negotiations first on an
agreement in the central competitive
!
fields with that OF the central dis.
| trict as a basis.
CHICAGO, Nov. 15.-VirtualIy no in.
crease in the number of bituminous
! coal miners returning to work was
looked for today. Saturdays generally
having been regarded as at least
half-holiday at many Of the companies
| Aside from that the miners seemed in.
tent to stand on their expressed dc.
| termination not to return TO work de
spite recall of the strike order last
| Tuesday by John L. Lewis, acting
| president Of the United Mine Workers
of America, until operators and miners
now meeting at Washington. effect az
agreement on new wage scale.
| Meanwhile the threatened fuel shor..
age in many places became more
ominous with the advent of real
winter weather. At Chicago the avail
able supply OF coal had been diminisl.
ed TO $4,000 tons and the regional
coal committee restricted fuel alloca
, tons
Improvement in the general situa
ton was shown today in Wyoming
however. 1000 miners agreeing to re-
/ turn to work at once under settlement
Of the controversy between miner
and operators. Colorado and Alabam.
showed some coal production with non
union mines in Pennsylvania, reported
operating at normal capacity and some
West Virginia coal being brought up
Illinois Men Idle.
In the great Illinois fields virtually
no work today has been done since
the strike was called more than two
weeks ago, and resumption Of worl
union leaders said was conditional on
an agreement at Washington meetins
the Illinois miners demands for sc
per cent increaged wages and a sc
! hour week.
No union mines in the Pennsylvanis
district were expected to operate -
day. and in West Virginia the strike
situation as concerned the unior
fields. was said to be in state 0,
orderly chaos In some mines where
production had been resumed, new
walkouts occurred yesterday.
Because Of little mining done IN the
Indiana district and little prospect fol
early resumption. fuel situation thers
today was regarded as becomin.
alarming with similar condition pro
vatling in Kansas. where 1t was un
certain when the approximately 10.00t
union miners would go back to work.
In the Ohio fields little coal was eX
pected to be hoisted earlier than mex
week by the 10000 union men.
MEN GET 100000
| SPRINGFIELD, Ill, Nov. 15.-Iili
nois soft coal miners today received
their pay envelopes for two weeki
work ended Nov. l. held back by oper
ators under their wage rules.
) Operators here estimated that tn,
money paid to the mine workers foi
4 the half month period, when produc
ton was speeded up in anticipation q
the mine tie-up would approximat,
ss,Oo0,0O0. They reached this figur,
by multiplying the total estimated
tonnage for the two weeks. amountin,
to 100000 tons by $2.00. said to h
basic average of the cost per tor
paid into the pockets Of the miners
including diggers, day men and al
, other union mine workers