The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-12-13

established and precedent Of incalcul-
able value has been set for the peace
full. orderly and lawful adjustment OF
industrial disputes"
a supplemental statement issued
this evening follows:
The miners at their meeting this
afternoon accepted the presidents s
proposal exactly as written and / un-
derstand the operators committee
have announced their acceptance Of
it, 1t provides for the immediate gen
eral resumption OF operations in all
districts upon the basis which OBJ
;aincd on October 81. 1919. except as
To wages which are to be ], per cent.
derstand that at that date. This means
that the men shall be taken back to
work in all mines in the positions and
upon the terms Of their contracts oi
/ employment then existing. and it =
confidently expected that the mine
oyvrcTs Will accde TO the government :
earnest request.
The status quo OF October 3 s..ili
be promptly reestablished in order
that peaceful relations between cl:l-
ployers and employees in all parts OF
the mining fields may oe Immediately
resumed. I am asking the governors
of all coal mining states to coopcr;tts:
in the effort to bring this about.
Expressing qualification that the
strike was ended. statement was
| given out here tonight by local opera
tors With the announcement that ii
had been obtained by long distance
telephone from the executive commit
tee of the national Bituminous Opera
: tors association in Washington. The
! statement follows:
We are pleased that the miners
have voted 80 return 70 work and thai
the public will be promptly supplied
with coal. Realizing the imperative
public need OF coal in large quantities
! the operators 81, ! ready now. as IN
the past to bend all thcir energies to-
wards maximum production begin
ming at once
Two statements were given out by
I! international officials of the miners.
! one Of them having been prepared
during the meeting this afternoon TO
announce the decision. The other
statement was dictated TO newspaper
men by Acting President Lewis.
Mr.. Lewis statement declared that
/ the action of the general committee
was taken With consciousness OF the
! RESPONSIBILITIES of the miners To the
nation during this acute industrial
crisis and firrl in the conviction that
word of the president OF the United
/ States will secure for the miners just
/ consideration OF their merited claims.
He stated that The international
! convention of the miners would be
/ reconvened in indianapolis and sup
! plemental explanation given the dele
gates from all of the 1900 locals.
Mr.. Lewis declared that the action
! taken today should demonstrate tc
! the people Of our country that the
! United Mine Workers Of America are
! loyal TO our country. and believe II
| the perpetuitE Of our democratic in
stitutiOns NO greater demonstration
of such facts could be given than oul
action in accepting the proposal Of the
president of the United States.
The statement given out at adjourn
| mcnt of tho conference announced the
decision reached and stated that II
: was based on the definite and con
! crete provision in the presidents plan
| /; brought out that the commission la
be appointed to fix upon Il Just wage
scale and prices for coal Will have
! power to settle internal questions
! peculiar 10 each and declared this fen.
E; t!re '.of Very great Importance to the
{ workers. 1t was explained that diff
| ferentias in wages in some districts
! has been a subject: of controversy for
many years The statement also
+! brings out that .'ncitller the operators
! nor the miners Will be allowed to
change the basis and no discriminatior
F.; by the coal operators will be permit
! ted"
Tho miners .;a;ement follows:
The United Mine Workers repre-
sentatives agreed to accept the p:2s-
dents proposal as a basis OF settle
nlant Of the coal strike. The: Gid Sc
: because it provides definite. con
] crete and practical method by whicf
adequate consideration and prope'
! adjustment Of their claim Ior al in
crease in wages and improved condl.
tior4S of employment may he broush.
about. The United Mine Worker:
have full confidence IN the president
of the United States and profounc
! regard for his will and judgment.
The presidents proposal differs
from any proposal heretofore propos-
{! ed in that ii leaves nothing in doubt
SO far as a plan of adjustment and
! the details thereof is concerned. Ihe
] scheme proposed b. DR.. Garfield let;
no hope FOR the mine workers other
than the acceptance Of an increase IL
mining prices Of Il per cent. The pres
! iden!'s proposal provides that this
amount of advance is preliminary anc
that the tribunal which he will SCI
! up will have full authority TO cor
slider further questions of wages and
! working conditions as we'll as profits
: of operators and proper prices 1"i
coal. readiusting both wages ana
profits if it shall SO decide. 1t fu:-
y mi