Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-10-30
EFFORTS TO AVERT
COAL STRIKE Fill
Half a Million Miners Will Quit
November 1 on the Eve of
Winter and Nations Bins
Low
PRESIDENT DISREGARDED
Sends an Appeal for Pence from Sick
Bcd-Opcrators willing to Negotiate
Their Wage Agreement They Say
Miners Leave Conference

Washington, Oct. 24-The last govern
ment effort to avert the coal strike set
for November / failed utterly tonight.
and half a million miners will quit work
on the very eve of winter, with the ma
lion's bins running dangerously low.
Even an appeal from President Wilson.
sick In bed at the White House, was not
enough 10 bring peace to conference
that was torn and on the breaking point
half a dozen times during the day.
While the operators announced that they
had accepted the Presidents offer to wipe
the slate clean and negotiate new wage
agreement. the miners charged that the
operators had boted without the consent
of Secretary of Labor Wilson. tho storm
center Of an extraordinary fight to save
the country untold distress and suffer-
ing.
Surrounded by score Of miners, John
l.. Lewis, president of the United Mine
Workers of America. hurried out Of the
hall and halted long enough TO announce
that the strike order stood and that the
III ners would walk out after a full days
work on the closing day OF the present
month.
The Presidents appeal was made
through Secretary Wilson after tle latter
had exhausted every ross bic effort. i
pointed out what a strike meant and urged
the two sides 10 get together, negotiate
their differences, resortnE to arbilra-
ton only in the event that NEGOTIATIONS
failed. The important point in the pro-
posal. however was that the mines be
kept open and the miners stay at work.
The miners and orerat rs lad left the
conference room and Secre airy Wilson, the
ears springing to his eyes, was "a herring
up his papers when ne announced that
his efforts and the Pres .CeI,'s efforts had
fallen down and that the conference had
adjourned for good. he bs,cly explained
the status but refused to he drawn into
charges Of bad faith.
1.-THE miners Interpreted lie Presidents
letter as two proposals" Mr.. Wilson.
They were wiling to accept the FIRST,
that is, to proceed to neGotate. The
operators said that having expressed a
willingness to accept the Presidents pro-
posal in It's entirety, they he themselves
ready to proceed to negotiate and
arbitrate whenever called upon by the
secretary Of labor or by tie miners sea e
committee and with that statement with
drew.
THE conference then adjourned without
date"
That was all the secretary would say
except to exp ain briefly how the miners
position worked out.
The Presidents proposal" lie declared
was, first to negotiate; second. to sub.
NIT the matter to arbi ration il negotia.
tons failed and third to keep the mine.
in operation.
! THE first the miners accepted and held
hnr fT-,.a {
later"
= There was little hope of setting the
strike when the miners and operators
met late to-day after two offers by the
secretary had been rejected. In opening
the meeting Mr.. Wilson said he had just
come from the White House with a mes
sage from the President urging peace
that the people might have n bountifu
stock of coal. Miners and operators. sit
ting in separate groups. listened closely
while the secretary read the letter from
the President, embodying his suggestion.
for settling the strike.