The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-11-14
Operators CritiicisedFor
Their Stand Pat Position
Secretary Wilson Emphatic in
Pointing Out Miners and
Operators Errors.
PUBLIC NOT "SHYLOCKS"
Thirty Hour Week and so Per
Gent. Wage Increase
"Impossibilities."

Washington, Nov. 14-Demands Of
union miners for a 30hour week and
GO per cent. increase in wages "are
impossibilites and ought to be elinni-
mated at the very beginning" Sec-
retary Wilson declared today, in
opening the oonfers nee between union
officials and operators, called by him
to settle the differences existing in
the coal industry.
Mr. Wilson said he had called the
conference mot simply because there
is a labor dispute In the mining fields
but because the world Is still passing
through great crisis"
After the secretary had concluded
his opening statement. the conference
adjourned until tomorrow. Meantime,
the operators and miners will meet
separately to decide whether the dis
trict outside of the central competi-
| tive field should be admitted.
THE stand-pat position taken by
| the operators heretofore, also is an
| impossibility," said the secretary,
rapping the table to emphasize his
| utterances. Admitting that the WASH
lngton wage agreement still was In
| force. the secretary declared the peo-
pie We're not "Shylocks" and did not
want to exact "the technical pro-
visions of a bond when the conditions
under which the bond was made
have changed"
Secretary Wilson In his opening
address stated two principles which
he desired the conference to follow
which we're In conflict with the poll
icies of both the miners and the op-5
orators.
The secretary declared the thirty
hour week impossible, which did not
meet the approval of the miners.
Without formality Secretary Will
son started his opening statement to
the conference. Sitting to his right.
IN a front seat, was Thomas T.
Brewster, spokesman for the op-
orators, while directly in front of him.
In front seat, was John L. Lewis
leader OF the miners. II have asked
4 you to come here began the secre-
tary, I'm connection with the mining
situation, not simply because there
Is labor trouble IN the coal fields.
, but because the world Is still passing
through great crisis.
we are stillfn a period in which
we are In need OF the benefit Of cool
council. There ia not a set of men
any where that are in a position to
bring to the subject matter of min
ing, more comprehensive technical
knowledge than the operators and
miners themselves.
/ Last September a convention OF
the U. NJ. w. Of A., representing the
union mine workers throughout the
United States, adopted a scale Of
wages which was presented in the
form Of demands upon the operators
Of the central competitive fields. 1t
is to be presumed that these demands
represented the desire of the union
miners throughout the country as a
- basis foe negotiating a new wage
: scale.
"fo one knows" continued the
= secretary, ito what extent production
. would be reduced by the introduction
of a six-hour working day, and in
these times when we have not vel
!. recovered from the effects of the war
q we cannot afford to undertake the
:, experiment of reducing working
hours to six per day and five days
= per week.
Il Referring to demands of the min
, ers for n so per cent. increase In
Z wages, the secretary said "such ar
> increase is an impossibility," as il
would give the miners wages out oi
o proportion to those in other indus.
!. tries.
t. Reviewing previous negotiations a
II Buffalo, Philadelphia and Washing
q ton, the secretary said the failure t,
: reach an agreement had resulted IL
d strikes mot only in the central field
e but also in other fields.where no de
lr mands had been made upon the oper
n ators.' Miners in the outlying fields
y he added, were not at fault be
d cause of their failure to presen
n demands because it was wei
v known the miners had been will
,e ing that all disthicts be represents
= in negotiating a wage scale and tha
10 all objections had came from the op
N orators"
r. above ALL" said the secretary, wv
10 are confronted with the fact tina
y the great mass of people dependen
+ on coal in their every day life ar
interested in reaching a settlemen
not only in the central coal field
but in all coal fields. 1t is for tha
reason 1 have asked your meetin
here.
Il desire to recommend that wag
e scale committee representatives Q
all the fields proceed to negotiate a
adjustment. l want to point out t
J. you that prompt action is necessar
AS long as your troubles were loca
in character only affecting a sma
part of communities there was n
disposition to hurry you but whe
Is your dispute takes on a magnitud
Id that affects the entire country, the
m the people at large as a matter {
self preservation are insistent tha
you come to a settlement.