Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-12-03
STRIKE CONFERENCE
BREAKS UP IN ROW
Governments Offer of ID Per
Cent Increase is Rejected.
U. S. FAILS TO END TlEUP
Coal Mems Farley Adjourns Sine Die
Operators Agree to Accept Gar
fields Proposal, While Lewis
Claims Injustice to Miners.

Claims Injustice to Miners.
Washington, Nov. 2S.-The govern
ments offer of a IA per cent increase
of wages was fatty rejected by the
coal miners.
AS a result the conference between
the miners and operators adjourned
sine die with the settlement of the
wage controversy still ''in the air." No
provision was made for the resumption
of the conference, the miners declar-
ing that they were going home and
sit tight"
The miners rejection came after the
operators had accepted the govern
ment's proposal as basis for a set
Element although they declared that
the increase without raising the price
of coal to the public would mean the
loss of profits to large number OF
mines and would seriously interfere
with production.
After the rejection the operators
rendered compromise offering to sub
NIT the entire dispute to board of
arbitration. This also was refused by
the miners and the conference took an
adjournment.
Statement by Lewis.
The following statement was dictat-
ed by Acting President John L. Lewis
of the United Mine Workers:
THE miners and operators joint con-
ference adjourned sine die. The mine
workers representatives declined to
recommend TO the miners any accept
ance of the IA per cent increase Of
fered.
THE operators pretended to be will
ling to grant this IA per cent increase,
but in the same breath stated that they
would be unable to operate a large
number of their mines unless they had
an increase in the selling price of coal.
1t would be foolish for us to attempt
to make any agreement with the OPP
orators unless their mines were to be
operated.
"The position of the mine workers
is unchanged. We hold that the Uni
ted States government cannot break
its word. The pledge given by Secre-
tary of Labor Wilson to grant a 31.6
per cent increase in wages must be re
deemed
in my judgement DR.. Garfield and
the cabinet have committed the most
colossal blunder in the industrial his
tory of our nation. They are blindly
following an academic theory without
regard to justice TO the mine workers
or the effects of such theory upon the
people of the country.
Says Justice Is Denied.
"The responsibility for the crisis now
confronting the nation must lie upon
those statesmen who are using the
powers of the government to Cypress
and deny justice to the great element
of citizenship directly concerned in the
mining industry.
II cannot believe that the people of
our country will endorse a policy of
oppression and repression which
means continued industrial chaos, and
intense suffering on the part of the
mine workers and our entire citizen
ship"
The letter sent to Doctor Garfield
by the operators of the central COM
petitive coal field, accepting the gov
ernment's offer, reads:
Recognizing the seriousness of the
present crisis and the urgent need of
the country for coal, we wish to advise
YOU that, subject to your approval and
conditioned upon the mines resuming
operations Immediately, the operators
scale committee of the central com
petitive coal field accept, as a basis
for the settlement of the present wage
controversy and termination of the
strike, the figures submitted by you
to the joint meeting of operators and
miners held yesterday evening, name
". an average increase of IA per cent
to be granted to all classes of mine la
Dor. such increase to be apportioned in
accordance with the wage bases that
are acceptable TO the employees and
employers, thus preserving present
differentials Otherwise than as above,
modified in complete accordGn nee with
your proposal, the present contract in
all its term and conditions to be con-
tinued in full force and effect until
March 81, 1922.
1--WE have already notified the miners
to this effect
Says Profits Eliminated.
AT the same time we wish to call
your attention to the fact that the ac-
,.oDtaDca of This iDeraaSa in uaCaS
without any increase in selling prices
entirely eliminates the profits of a
large number of mines. Such a large
number, in fact, we fear that the pro-
duction of coal will be seriously af-
fected We understand that operating
statistics for 1919 are not now in your
possession, and we shall rely upon the