Norwich bulletin., 1919-11-29

Washington, Nov. 2S.-The govern T. ment served blunt notice on soft coal miners and erators tonight that in reference /ll coal production would not be toltld dted.
 Warming that legal prosecution would be employed to thwart con- spiracies b. either side and troops sent wherever necessary to protect miners willing to work came from the department of justice after members of the cabinet had considered every phase of the fuel situation, admittedly critical, in view of the abrupt break ing off of negotiations.
 IL, IS not the intention of the gov ernment to let the mines remain idle with half of the country in the grip | | of cold weather and the coal stocks | rapidly diminishing.
 The administration, it was said by l those in position to know. had fully 1 expected the miners to reject the four l teen per cent. wage increase offered ]! l by Fuel Administrator Garfield Anti | clpating this, plans had been consid- l cred for augmenting the present out put of bituminous mines, officially 1 figured at better than forty per cent of normal. l A statement by Assistant Attorney General Anes, issued late i'll the day, gave assurance 10 all miners that they l would be afforded ample protection if
 they returned to work, even if troops had to be called but. This was the ! only definite statement of policy from 1 the government. In official circles it
 was said that the federal authorities were determined to force resumption | of operations on the terms laid down by the fuel administrator.
 | The department of justice statement called attention to the fact that in- structions issued here by the war de- partment in connection with the pos sible use of.troops in coal field regions still were in effect and that depart
 ment commanders stood ready to guard the fields the instant their aid
 was requested by the state authori- ties,
 ;l Operators tonight set out to resume
 production, so far as that was possi-
 ble under the muddled conditions by
 telegrap phing notice for posting at
 mines everywhere offering an increase of fourteen per cent for all men will
 ing to work.
 l, There were few expressions as to { how this information might be receiv- ed. but representatives, of the miners
 here still declared itwould be no in- ] centive. Operators however, believed : that it would draw large numbers to 2 Dr. Garaeld had explained earlier
 in the day that he regarded fourteen
 per cent. q just and sufficient wage !. advance for mine workers and that f mine owners who did not cooperate z with the government would find their : properties taken over and operated by . the fuel administration.
 John L. Lewis, acting president 0,
 fhe TTrifa5 Mira VVorL-aI-c of e who had borne the brunt of the wage = negotiation fighting, went home to- d night, worn out by the long wrangle f. Before leaving for Indianapolis, Lewis .- saw Secretary of Labor Wilson an(
 Samuel Gompers, president of tho
 American Federation of Labor. He di( @ not have much to say about the situa IS tiugi and explained that he had ar Il ranged with Gompers to have the fed 9r eration's lawyers assist counsel for tn d miners in perfecting their appeal iron
 the ruling of Federal Judge Anderson
 ordering the coal strike order can m celied.
 l. Tn labor and official circles tn l. meeting of Lewis and Gompers Wa 7- regarded as significant. but there wa ed no statement concerning question discussed except Lewis reference i
 seeking counsel atd.
 IS After leaving Secretary Wilson's of SC fee, Lewis said:
 eo "Dr. Garfield represents the govern 10 ment. Mir. Wilson told me that to ao dav."
 n- This was taken by Lewis to mea
 that the fourteen per cent. wage offe
 was, definitely and finally, the gov ernrftnt's offer, and that MT. Wilson Y proposal for a 21 per cent. advanc had heen rejected by the cabinet $ he far as obtaining help for his uniol he Lewis realized that fourteen per cen ny was all le might expect.
 The operators wage scale commi; T. tee will meet here again next. Wednes TX day to agree upon the details neces be sary to preserve existing differentia es in putting a 14 per cent. wage a6 wv vance into effect.
 h. The telegram urging all operator
 to post notices offering the fl pC m cent increase at once was sent by ne committee composed of T. ". Guthri e. A. NJ Ogle. Thomas K. Maher and 5, c. Searls. who remained in Washing m ton to represent the central compet a., tive field, It was sent after consul le- ing with Dr. Garfield. eh Your committee recommends ar 3 considers it important that all min o. post notice at once of the advance nl. wages" the message read. "Yol
 committee advises that details
 scale will be figured out and agre'
 to at meeting of scale, committee he IA next Wednesday,, in ordeS to preser
 proper differentials. Ff that reast To- details should not be <cluded in Il m tice Understandings between ernpio ,ho- CTS and employees at mines which ha led been working will govern date an which increase is effective at tho
 mines. Following Is form of notice ed be used at mines now on strike: m "'The government of the Unit pc, States having decided that mine wor it. CTS are entitled to IA per cent. av
 rage increase to bring wages up to = increased cost ef-living, this compa FIT gives notice that a IA per cent. av
 rage increase in wages is here ln- granted, effective at once. This a1 es- rage increase will be so divided as var preserve present differentials eat change will be made in conditions or employment
 nt, "The new scale of wages will mt. posted as soon as possible.''
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