New-York tribune., 1919-12-21
Wilson Names
Commission to
Fix Coal Scale
Continued from page 4

representative was not disclosed by
Administration officials tonight.
In his letter to the three commits
sioners the President recited the his
tory OF the negotiations between miners
and operators, the strike the Federal
court proceedings against the miners
and the subsequent efforts to bring an
adjustment.
Text of Presidents Letter
The Presidents letter to Mr.. Robin
son, which is identical in text with
those sent to Mr.. White and Mr.. Peale
reads as follows:
My Dear Mr.. Robinson:
On October 6, 1917, with the official
approval and sanction of the United
States Fuel Administration. nm agree
ment (since known as the "Washiug-
ton wage agreement") was entered
into between the operators and the
union miners and mine workers of
the so-called Central competitive BIZ
luminous coal fields" composed of
Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana
and Illinois, which provided for an in
crease in the production Of bitumi-
nous coal and an increase in wages to
the miners and mine workers from
the then existing scale Of compensa-
following clause:
Subject to the next biennial con-
veution of the United Mine Workers
of America. the mine workers. repre-
sentatlves agree that the present con-
tract be extended during the continu-
alton of the war, and not to exceed
two years from April l, 1918"
Subsequently, on January 10, 1918,
this agreement was approved by the
convention of the International Union,
United Mine Workers of America.
Miners Action Reviewed
At the fourth biennial convention
Of the International Union, United
Mine Workers of America, held in
Cleveland, from September to Sep
tember %, 1919, the so-caled scale
committee submitted report recon-
mending, among other things, that
the convention demand q 60 per cent
increase applicable to all classfica-
mage, yardage and dead work rates
, throughout the central competitive
field; that all new wage agreements
replacing existing agreements should
be based on a six-hour work day
from bank to bank, five days a week;
the abolition of all automatic penalty
clauses; that all contracts in the BIZ
luminous field should be declared
to expire on November !, 1919, and
that "in the event a satisfactory
wage agreement is not secured for
the central competitive tield before
November l, 1919, to replace the one
now in effect, the international Of
ficers be authorized to and are here
by instructed to cali general strike
of all bituminous mineR and mine
workers throughout the United States,
the same to become effective Novem-
Der l, 1919"
Subsequently conferences were
held between representatives of the
operators and of the miners, at
which the miners demands were sub
mitted and declined on the part Of the
operators. The International Union
International Union Of the United Mine
Workers of America, who then issued
so-called strike orders to all their
local unions and members, requiring
them to cease work in the mining of
bituminous coal at midnight on
Friday, October 81
First Conference Failure
On October Is, 1918, the Secre-
tary of Labor called a conference
between the operators and miners
of the bituminous mines in the cen
trail competitive held, wnlcn CON
ference also resulted IN a failure to
reach an agreement. A letter to
Secretary Wilson which was sub
mtted to the conference I said:
II for any reason the miners and
operators fail to come to a mutual
understanding, the interests of the
public are of such vital Importance
in connection with the production of
coal, that it is incumbent upon them
to refer the matters in dispute to a