Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-11-25
Definite Decision Of Policy
Regarding All Phases Of
Situation Expected Today
When Wilson Advisers Meet.
GARFIELD ANNOUNCES
PRINCIPLES INVOL WE'D
Public viii Not Now Pay
Increase Over Normal Profits
Allowed During the War,
Fuel Administrator Asserts.

Wasl ington, Nov. 24.-Settlement
of the controversy over new wage d
agreement in the bituminous coal inc
dustry tonight awaited action by
President Wilson'S cabinet. Il
Fuel Administrator Garfield,
speaking to the joint wage scale
committees of operators and miners,
announced five principles which have
governed" him and his associates,
but different interpretations were
placed upon its various provisions q
by the workers and the mine own
ers in informal discussions after the
meeting.
D. Carried called the miners and
operators together after a confer-
ence with Attorney General Palmer,
Director General Hines and Assist
ant Attorney General Ames.
At the meeting of the cabinet to~sl
morrow definite decision of policy
regarding all phases Of the strike
situation is expected and il the cab
met is in disagreement the whole
question may be put before the
president"
Significant Statement.
Owing to the disagreement which
had arisen as to the amount Of the
increase in the cost Of living, and
consequently the per cent Of wsee
advance needed 70 meet higher living
costs. great significance was at
tached to DR.. Garheld's declarations
that "the average total increase in
pay over the 1918 base. which was
the base considered in 1917. should
not exceed the present increase iif
the cost Of living over the same
base"
"It is also to be considered that
the cost of living will fall rather
than rise during the next few years,
he added.
Operators construed this State
ment as in conflict with the contefis
ton of Secretary Wilson that miners
should be given 81 per cent wage
advance to equalize the margin bee
tween present wages and a 70 per
cent rise in living costs since 1914. 81
Pointing out that wartime coal
prices were fixed for the purpose Of
stimulating production. DR.. Garfield
declared that the public would not
now pay the increase over normal
profits allowed during the war. Hid
further statement that any wage I'M
crease should be "borne bv the operi
ators or the pubic or both" was gen.
orally taken to mean that part Of
the advance must come out Of the
excess profits of the mining COM
ranies.
Gar6eld's Principles.
The FIVE principles announced ~
DR.. Garfield were:
First. The public must not Be
asked to pay more than it IS now
paying for coal unless it is necessary
to do so in order to provide reasons
able wages to the mine workers and
reasonable profit to the operators.
Second. The arrangement en-
tered into between the operators.
the miners and the fuel administers
ton, with the sanction of the presi-s
dent of the United States in Octo.
Der, 1917, was intended to euualize
the wages of all classes of mine
workers and to be sufficient to cover
the period of the war, but not be-
yond March 81, 1920; hence, the only
increase in cost Of living which can
now be considered is the Increase
above that provided for by the aver-
age increase in 1917, that is to saw.
the average total increase in paw
over the 1913 base, which was the
base considered in 1917, should noS.
exceed the present average increase.
in the cost of living over the same
base. 1t is also to be considered that
the cost of living will fall rather
than rise during the next few years.
To Increase Production.
Third. The maximum prices fixed
by the government on coal were cal-s
eulatcd to increase production Of
Continued on Page Two. Column -Four.