Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-29
Georges Creek Co., ONE of
Big Feeders of D.c.An-
nounces Suspension.
JUSTICE Department
TO INVESTIGATE TODAY
Fuel Administration Sure Large
Proportion bf Strikers Will
Soon Resume Work,

rlOuSly tnreateneu by action CI tHe
Georges Creek Coal Company. which.
according to an Associated Press dis.
patch FROM Cumberland. Md. has
given notice that its mines Will be
closed indefinitely. This is one OF
Lbe,largest operating companies in AL
lesapy county, Md.
The greater part of the bituminous
coal used in Washington, as well as q
large part of the soft coal supply OF
Baltimore comes from the Georges Creek
and upper Potomac fields and the Pocas
hontas and New River fields. Reports
from the latter fields say that produc-
ton there now is only 40 per cent or
normal.
Text of the Notice.
The order posted by the Georges
Creek Coal Company at all of it's work.
ings, as reported by the Associated
Press, reads:
In view of the fact that employees
of this company quit work without
notice, the mines will be closed in
definitely. Former employees will re-
move their tools by tomorrow or Mon
day, and call at the office Monday
afternoon to be paid Off"
When asked today about the Georges
Creek Coal Company's action officials
Of the Department of Justice said:
This is the first intimation the At
torney General has received of such
action by the Georges Creek Company.
The report will be investigated to-
day. If it is shown that the concern
is closing it's mines to curtail the coal
supply the government will take inn
mediate steps to operate the prop
critics. The specific action to be taken
will be determined by the facts re-
vealed."
Part Of Big District.
The Georges Creek fields are under
the jurisdiction of district No. 16 of
the United Mine Workers of America.
With thousands Of the miners from
district No. 16, which embraces the
Georges Creek and upper Potomac
regions already out from Frostburg,
Md. to Piedmont, w. Va, and from
the miners union leaders last night de-
clared that by today 5000 more men
would be out. This action followed a
meeting held by the miners to pro-
test against the offer of IA per cent
increase in wages.
William j. Trickett, secretary
treasurer, United Mine Workers, last
night stated that al the mines in the
upper Potomac field were idle, with
the exception of those at Shaw Nld
Baird.
At the Office of the Davis Coal and
Coke Company in Cumberland it was
denied that the mines of that COM
pany in the upper Potomac territory
We're not working, and at the office
of the Consolidation Coal Company it
was stated that the mines were in
operation from !tdland to Mount
Savage.
Satisfied With Situation.
Officials of the fuel administration,
the Department of Justice and the
War Department expressed satisfac-
ton today with the turn events are
taking in the coal situation through
out the country. 1t Is believed that
with the IA per cent wage increase Of
Sered, together with assurance of pro-
lection to workers, a large proportion
of miners who have been out on strike
since November l will return to work
within a fortnight.
1t was declared the government de-
partments directly concerned with
bringing up to normal the production
of coal believe there will be no neces-
sity for radical action in any of the
mining regions.
1--WE are SERENE" said one official,
because we are certain that what
ever situation may arise, it will be
met with firmness."
Fuel Administrator Garfield left
Washington this afternoon for his
eral hours before departure in pre-
pairing a statement containing facts
and figures used by his bureau in
reaching it's conclusions with regard
to miners wages. This statement will
be given to the public tonight.
DR.. Garfield said he would be con-
stantly in touch with Washington by
telephone during his absence. He is
expected to return here Tuesday or
Wednesday. Meanwhile, he will be
engaged in business affairs of Will
liams College, of which he is presi-
dent.
Operators to Meet Gov. SprOul.
IN, Panncv1vqnta
which is a part of the central CONS
petitiye field will meet Gov. Sproul
of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia Nom
day to discuss plans for protecting
miners wishing to return TO WORK,
according to information received
here today by the operators commit
THOSE in close touch with the situa-
ton regarded this as the first ind1ca-
ton of an attempt to break the strike
in the highly ORGANIZED centrai nela.
1t was expected that general plans for
all four states included in this field
would be discussed when the opera
tors wage scale committee reconVened
here Wednesday,.
The call for the meeting said the
purpose was to harmonic details or
the proposed IA per cent wage ad-
vance but methods of bringing the
strike to an end were expected to be
the most important subject consid-
cred.
Promises Protection to Miners.
After Assistant Attorney General
Ames issued a statement saying the
Depa rtment of Justice, with the aid OF
the War Department, would give ample
protection to miners who return to
work, a committee of coal operators
last night sent a telegram to all fields
urging operators to post notices Offer
ing miners the IA per cent increase In
pay authorized by the government.
The message was signed by T. w.
Guthrie, A. NJ Ogle, Thomas K. Maher
and L. c. Searles, who remained in
Washington to represent the central
competitive field. TIE text of the tele-
gram follows:
your committee recC .mends and
considers it important that all mines
post notice at once of the advance in
wages. Your committee advises that
details of scale will be figured out
and agreed to at a meeting of scale
committee here next Wednesday, In
order to preserve proper differentials.
For that reason details should not
be included in notice. Understandings
between employers and employees at
mines which have been working will
govern date on which increase is eff
fective at those mines. Following Is
form of notice to be used at mines
now on strike:
"'The government of the United
States having decided that mine