Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-28
Workers Refuse to Accept
GarfieId's Wage Offer Of Ia
Per Cent Increase and End
Meeting With Mine Owners.
GOVERNMENT SCORED.
BY PRESIDENT LEWIS
Thanksgiving Day Meeting
Held Behind Closed Doors
And Was Productive Of
Much Heated 0ratory.

Washington, Nov. 27.-An ab-
rupt end came late today to all at
tempts to settle the nationwide
coal strike by peaceful agreement.
Miners and operators spent a
bleak Thanksgiving afternoon in
cmhttered debate over the govern
ment proposal for a IA per cent
wage increase, made last night by
Fuel Administrators Garfield, re-
jected it and every other proposal
that was forthcoming and then dis
solved sine die.
Participants went home tonight.
ant where the break left coal strike
conditions, no one of them, miner
or operator, would, say. Likewise
in official quarters there was si-
lence.
Lewis Scores Government.
Acting President John L. Lewis
of the mine operators, though re-
fusing to say one word as to the
strike itself, which theoretically
was called off in obedience to Fed
eral Judge Anderson's Injunction.
holding It violation of the Lever
act for wartime food and fuel coh-
troll, scored the government roundly
at the conclusion Of the conferences.
So did William Green, secretary OF
the miners.
Operators, though accepting the
government proposal definitely in
letter Of explanation to DR.. Gar
field, which they made public, in-s
timated that the government re-
| fusal to allow price increases would
bear consideration.
Behind Closed Doors.
1t was behind closed doors that
the coal situation reached its Climax
today. after involving the full atten-.
ton of the federal government tor
two days previously. There was
much Heated oratory, but I. W.
Guthrie Of Pittsburgh, acting chair
man of the operators, renewed their
formal offer \of arbitration, and this
the miners voted down. Unanimous
ly an adjournment was voted.
"The operators are pretending to
accept DR.. Gar6eld's proposal" Mr..
Lewis said, manifesting scorn and
Indignation as he called the news
paper men around him in the noisy
hall that was the scene of the ALI
day gatherings. ii
"But as they do it thAy state they
are unable to operate many OF their
mines under it. It.would be foolish
for us to attempt to make an
agreement unless miners are to Be
given work.
"Our position is unchanged. Nc
hold the United States government
! cannot break its word The pledge
Of Secretary Wilson to grant Us
81 per cent increase must be re-
deemed. In my judgment DR.. Gar
field and the cabinet have committed
the most colossal blunder in the his.
tory of our nation They are blindly
following an academic theory, with
out regard to justice to the mine
workers or effects on the people Of
the United States.
: Statesmen Responsible"
Responsibility for the crisis now
confronting the nation must be with
those statesmen using the powers of
government to oppress and deny
justice to great element of its
citizenship directly concerned in in
dustry.
."I cannot believe the people of
our country will endorse such
policy of oppression and repression.
which means continued industrial
chaos and intense suffering on the
| part of the mine workers and our
citizenship"
With that Lewis brushed away all
questioners. His associates. how
ever, confirmed the impression that
there would be no resumption OF
work in the mining camps now !.
kclosed.
Operators. less communicative,
went away with varying resolutions.
One or two had reached a detcrmi-
nation, they said, to attempt pro-
ducfion, regardless of the strikers.
but most of them were in doubt on
this point. Acting Chairman Guthrie
indicated that as an organized body
they had ceased to function and that
individual necessity and inclination
would govern their action, though +
all would wait a little to see what
the government proposed.
Open Letter to Garfield.
The open letter to DR.. Garfield
said that in view of the serious stu
alton, the wage scale committee for
the central field would accept his
suggested basis of settlement pre-
serving present differentials.
AT the same time we wish to call
your attention to the fact that the
acceptance of this increase in wages
without any Increase in selling prices
of bituminous coal entirely elm
mates the profits of large number
Continued on Page Three, Column OAe.)