New-York tribune., 1919-12-20
Plan of Strike Settlement
Declared To Be Entirely
Different From That He
Discussed in Washington
Wage Raise a Surprise
Attorney General Insists
Truce Was Complete Vic
tory for the Government
Nsw York Tribune
T1.shin atom R3jrenn


faith of Attorney General A. Mitchell
Palmer in his negotiations with the BIZ
luminous coal operators preceding the
announcement of Pres ident Wilson'S
plan for settlement Of the soft coal
strike was called in question to-day by
representatives of the operators ap-
pearing before the Senate Coal Investi-
eating Committee
Rush c. Butler, counsel for the oper-
ators, told the committee, in effect. that
Attorney General Palmer had switched
plans, that the proposal accepted in
Washington by representatives of the
operators and miners was not the one
carried to the indianapolis convention
by Mr.. Palmer.
Resembled Garfield Offer
Mr.. Butler said that on the Sunday
preceding the presentation of the plan
to the officials of the United Mine
Workers in indianapolis Mr. Palmer
outlined its purport to him at a meet
ing between them here. Mr. Butler said
the Attorney General at that time read
to him communication from President
wilson which was to be read later to
the miners, and that he understood it
to propose IA per cent wage increase
to the miners, with investigation of the
industry by an advisory commission.
MIR. Butler saw in it really nothing but
the plan previously proposed by Dr.
Harry A. Garfield, the Fuel Administers
tor. With this understanding he ac-
ceptcd it so far as he could for the
operators.
II did not learn until December 8
that it was anything else," said Mr..
Butler. 81 was surprised"
ut was not the Garfield plan as YOU
understood it?" Mr.. Butler was asked
by Townsend.
Distinctly not"
Plan Dramatically Opposite"
How does it differ from the Gar
field plan?"
"The Garfield plan never contcm-
plated a determinative body. 1t never
contemplated the establishment of
prices"
"Was it the same plan as was out
lined to you?"
Dramatically opposite.'
Mr.. Butler was followed on the stand
by A. M. Oglc of the executive COM
mlttee OF the operators of central COM
petitivc fields, those directly concerned
in the recent strike. 1t was the first
opportunity the operators had been
offered in any official way TO give
their version of the negotiations that
preceded the settlement and to tell
Of
Mr. Ogle told the committee for the
first time that before Mr.. Palmer left
Washington for indianapolis December
!, he called IN the operators and asked
il they would not agree to a higher
per cent of wage increase than the
II per cent that DR.. Garfield had
suggested. He said the operators re-
fused on the ground that it would be
a surrender to the miners and that
tions were involved. M Palmer, he
said, had spoken in other terms of
general uprising"
Sherman Law Violation Feared
Mr. Ogle said counsel had advised
the operators that an agreement even
by Presidential commission which
would raise the miners wages and put
up the price of coal might be CON
spiracy against the Sherman antitrust
act. He told the committee the oper-
ators never had been officially asked
to accept the final Wilson plan as it
was given to the miners. and that the
investigation proposed by the Pres-
dent to be completed if possible within
sixty days could not be completed thor
oughly in the lifetime of the men on
the commission. He was not pressed
by the committee to say whether the
operators would accept the Wilson
plan, but said after the hearing that
The principles upon which it is to
operate must be considered by them be
fore the answer is made known.
Mr.. Palmer him was witness
before the committee for five hours
He gave the history of the negotia-
tions which brought about the settle
ment, and declared that it was in no
sense a surrender to the miners but
made under the circum stanccs, that it
had put the miners back to work and
that production of coal had been re-
Sumed.
Government Victory Claimed
"The government has won it's fight"
said Mr. Palmer. There was no set
tlement in actuality; the men and the
union officers have complied with our
demands and gone back to work"
Questioned at length by the com
mttee, Mr.. Palmer said he could see
no essential difference between the
proposal of DR.. Garfield for con-
suitative and advisory comm ssion to
invest igate the industry and the one
to be set up under the Presidents
plan, although the latter is to recon-
mend increases in wages and prices
if it sees fit.
Mr. Palmer said under questioning
by the committee that the original
statement of President Wilson. written
in the week ended december s. had
been crystallized into condensed form
on the train between Washington and
Indianapolis when he was on his way to
that city to lay the plan before the
miners. This condensed form was
shown on the train to Mr.. Lewis and
Mr.. Green, and was also submitted by
telegraph to the Department of Justice
for presentation to the President. 1t
was approved by the President Mr..
Palmer said. and was later carried in
the circular sent out oy Lewis and
Green to the members of the organiza-
tion.
Wilson Statement Submitted
It read as follows:
In accordance with the request of
the President, as contained in his state
Continued ON Dnne three