The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-21
NO COMPROMISE
BY COAL MINERS
The BituminOus Workers Will
Stand Firm for Five Day
~ Week, Says Leader.
STRIKE ORDER TO STAND
Operators, However, Say 1t
Must Be Withdrawn Prior
to Negotiations.

WASHINGTON. Oct. 20.-On the eve
Of a conference called by the Secretary
OF Labor in the hope of averting the
strike of 100000 bituminous coal min
srs, set for November /. John l..
Lewis, president of the United Mine
Workers of America, announced to-
night that the strike order would not
be rescinded unless operators met all
demands. including the five day week
Unless the strike order is withdrawn
the operators will not enter into ne
gotiations looking to an adjustment Of
the differences. according to Thomas
T. Brewster, head Of the coal oper-
ators' committee.
The conference tomorrow will be at
tended by Secretary Wilson and the full
scale committees representing miners
and operators each comprising thirty
two members. but the general view OF
each group expressed to-day was that
nothing would come out of the meeting.
Secretary Wilson. acting as Govern
ment mediator by direction of the Pfesi-
dents Cabinet, still was hopeful to-
night. however, that the factions would
get together and not plunge the country
into a strike at the beginning of winter
with not more than a months stock of
coal on hand.
After comforting with members of the
miners committee who arrived here
during the day, President Lewis de-
clared there would be no compromise OF
any of the issues involved. Although
the full scale committees fix the pay in
the central competitive field. embracing
Indiana. Illinois Ohio and western Penn
sylvania. Lewis explained that the strike
order affected bituminous miners every
where. who he said, will quit work the
first Of next month unless some agency
meanwhile can prevent It,
I'VE are neither Bolshevlsts nor the
advocates OF any isms," Lewis said.
THE position of the miners has been
dictated by the elements OF physical
necessity which are involved, and we
shall not be deferred In our programme
by any false issues which may be in
jected into the situation by coal opera
tors or the interests which may be in
opposition TO our demands"
Lewis asserted that these demands
could be applied in toto without any
material increase in the price OF coal
to the consuming public"
He charged that the operators had
endeavored to make the public believe
that the miners had come forward with
radical and outrageous demands" :"
More than a year has elapsed" he
ad1 eli ha
agreement. negotiated as a war meas
ure. expired with the cessation OF hos
tilities. The miners during this period
have by common consent continued
working to enable the nation to work
out its reconstruction problems and to
permit the mining industry to adjust
itself to postwar conditions. The COM
pelling force of physical necessity now
requires that a new wage agreement be
negotiated effective November /. 1918"
The present margin OF profit as shown
by a recent report of the Federal Trade
Commission. Lewis said, '1s sufficiently
large practically to cover the increased
wage to the miner and still permit a
fair margin of return"
/ The demands OF the bituminous coal
miners 'if met would make coal a
| luxury for the rich only, and as n manu-
featuring nation we would be unable 10
compete with foreign nations" Repre-
sentative Mondell, Wyoming, Republican
floor leader declared to-day during de-
bate in the House. The coal miners.
! Representative Mondell asserted. were
| among the first workmen during the war
| TO get increased wages, receiving. he
said, perhaps as great an advance as
! any one"