Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-10-25
PRESIDENT FAILS TO AVERT
STRIKE OF sirumINoUs
COAL MlNlRa
OPERATORS WILLING.
woRkMEN REJECT PLAN
Strike Of 10000 Miners on Nov. APP
pears certainty-GoVernment May
Take Over and Operate Mines in
Effort TO Prevent Widespread Suf-
fsrins During Winter Months.

washington. Oct. s5.-The last gov
eminent effort to avert the coal strike
set for New failed utterly last night
and half a million miners Will quiz
work on the very eve Of winter, WITH
the nations bins running dangerously
low.
Even an appeal from President VII
son, sick IN bed al the White House.
was net enough 20 bring peace 20
conference tha. was torn and on the
breaking point half q dozen times dur
iEE the cay.
Charges and counter charges few
taiek ana fast as the groups OF opera
tor ana miners fled out Q: the meet
ing, which began somewhat hopefully
four days ago.
Strike Order Stands.
While TIE operators announced nat
they had accepted the presidents o.
fer 10 wipe the slate clean and negc-
tate new agreement the miners
charged that the operators had ooltS
without the consent Of Secretary O.
Labor Wilson. the storm center Of an
extraordinary aght 10 save the coun-
Try untold distress and suffering.
= 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 70
announce that the strike order stood
and that the miners would walk out
after a fun days work OF the closing
day et the present month
The final breaking Up q the con-
ference, Lewis said, meant that or
ciaI notice Of the failure would De
sent forthwith 10 the unions every
where to order the men out Of the
mines at the appointed hour.
President Makes Appeal
The presidents appeal vas made
thru Secretary Wilson after the latter
had exhausted every possible effort
and had pleaded until his throat aehed.
II pointed out what strike meant and
urged the two sides 70 get together.
negotiate their differences, resorlng 20
arbitration only n the event that nego-
tiations failed. The important point
in the proposal. however, was that rne
mines be kepe open and the miners stay
at work.
The miners and operators rad let
the conference room and Secretary
Wilson, the tears springtng 20 his eyes
was gathering up his papers, when ne
announced that his efforts and the
presidents efforts had fallen down and
that the conference had adjourned for
GOOD. He briefly explained the status,
but refused to be drawn into charges
Of bad faith
Miners For First Proposal.
Al ~
was, first, 20 negotiate; second to
submit the matter 10 arbitration Il ne
gotiatioas failed. and, third, 20 keHp
the mines in operation
The first the miners accepted and
held over the other two Tor considera-
ton later"
What is your next step M WI
son was asked.
Down 20 the automobile" ne re
piled. as he saw the last o. his hard
work fall down.
There was little hope Of settling the
strike when the miners and operators
met late today after two offers ~ the
secretary had been rejected.
In opening the meeting NJ. wilson
said he had Just come from the White
House with Il message from me pres
ident- urging peace that the people
might have a plentiful stock Of coal
Miners ard operators. sitting IN sep-
arate groups, listened closely while
the secretary read the following letter
from the president, enbodyinr his
suggestions FOR settling the strike.
Text Of Wilson's Appeal.
The presidents appeal TO the min
ers read:
Y have been watching with deep and
sincere interest your efforts 70 bring
about a Just settlement Of the differ
ences between the operators and the
Goa. miners in the b;tuu!nous coal
fields Of the country. It IS to be hoped
that the good judgment that has oeen
exercised By both operators and minors
in years gone by in the adjustment Of
their difficulties will again prevail N
the present crtgis.
"All organized society is dependent
upon the maintenance OF the fuel sup
ply for the continuance of its exist
ence. The government has appealed
with success to other classes of work
ers to postpone similar questions until
4 reasonable adjustment could be ar
rived at
with the parties of this controversy
rests the responsibility of seeing that
the fuel supply of the nation is main
tanned. At this time when the world
Is IN need of more supplies it would
be q cruel neglect Of our high duty to
humanity to fail them.
II have read with interest the eug-
gestion made by you that the wage
scale committee of the operators and
miners 70 into conference without res.
ervation for the purpose Of negotiating
an agreement as tho no demands had
been made or rejected, having due re-
gard to the interests OF their respect
I've groups. ! am in accord with thai
suggestion.
...Es ssS- cf men knows better the
details, intricacies, and technicai..:e:
Of mining than do the miners and op'
orators. No body of men can work OH
the details OF the wage scale on
more equitable basis. Their juosmen
would undoubtedly be based upon
sum total Of knowledge OF the indus
~. whatever their differences ma!
-, no matter how widely divergen
their viewpoints may be from Gael
other, It u q duty that they ow'
society to make an earnest effort II
.neeotiats those differences and to keel
thS mines Of our country in opera
Ton.
.Aftsr q. tie pablo interest in thii
.viasl nattor II the paramount conGd
eentfen OF the government and admit