The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-11-25
Cabinet Meeting Today Will Dis
cuss All Phases of Situation
and Failing to Reach Agree
ment Will Seek President.
GARFIELD OUTLINES
GOVERNMENT STAND
He Says Public Should Not Be
Required to Pay More for
Coal Than Enough to Provide
Reasonable Profits.

washington, Nov. 24.-Definito as to
q policy regarding all phases of the
coal strike is expected to be reached
at cabinet meeting tomorrow and in
case OF cabinet disagreement the whole
question may be put before the Presi-
dent.
Fuel Administrator Garfield told
the joint wage scale committee Of
operators and miners today that the
principles which governed him and his
associates were that the public should
not pay more for coal than necessary
to provide reasonable wages and
profits.
That the average increase in the
cost of living I'm 1917 over 1913 which
was the basis of the Washington wage
agreement, should be the basis Of this
discussion. and that it must be con-
sidered that the cost of living should
fall the next few years instead of
rise. that higher profits were allowed
during the war to stimulate produce
ton and that any wage increase should
be borne by the operators or public
or both, that must 1t be remembered.
too. that Europe as well as the United
States Is in desperate need of coal.
three exceptions all coal mines in the
birmingham district were in operation
today the operators announced.
Washington. Nov. 24.-Operators
and miners of the Central comp titive
bituminous coal field marked time to-
day I'm their negotiations for nsw-
wage scale while awaiting q decision
by Fuel Administrator Garfield as to
what portion of any wage advance
should be passed on to the public.
When the wage scale committees
met this morning, the operators OBJ
tanned an adjournment until at which
time they expect Garfield will be pre-
pared to make a statement based on
further investigation of facts connect
ed with the coal industry.
Two separate proposals are by the
committee. One is the offer Of the op-
orators for an increase OF 20 per cent.
Of day work and fifteen cents q ton
for machine mining and the other is
the demand OF the miners for a wage
increase of 40 percent. and seven
hour day.
New York. Nov. 24.-Soft coal min
ers made shocking and indefensihle'
profits in 1917 and there is grave
doubt" that they are entitled to in
crease prices because of the proposed
Increase in miners wages, William G..
McAdoo, former secretary of the treas
ury declared today in a telegram to
Federal Fuel Administrator Garfield.
The owners profits as shown by their
income tax returns examined by him
as secretary of the treasury in 1918.
he said. showed earnings on capital
stock ranging from 15 to 1000 per
cent.
II am convinced that the wage in
crease proposed for the mine workers
are just and reasonable" he stated.
Before deduction of excess profits
tax-which were less in 1917 than now
these income tax receipts showed
that earnings of 100 to 800 per cent.
on capital stock were not uncommon
-.r. McAdoo's telegram asserted.
Referring to the bituminous mine
owners income tax returns for 1913
which he said he had not seen, the
telegram said:
If they disclose any such profits
as earned by the bituminous coal op-
orators in 1917. 1t would be grave
wrong to permit the operators to take
the form of increased prices Of btu
minous coal"
Mr.. McAdoo urged that no increase
In prices of soft coal to consumers be
allowed and that the income tax re-
turns OF the soft coal mine operators
be made public.