Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-12-19
EX-UNION CHIEF AND
IND. OPERATOR ON
COMMISSION
PALMER IN SENATE
EXPECT PRESIDENT TO NAME
IMPORTANT BODY WHICH WILL
SETTLE WAGES TO BE PAID
MEMBERS or UNION,

Washington Doe H. John !
White. former president Of the United
Mine Workers OF America, and Rem
brandt Peale. an independent coal op.
orator of PENNSYLVANIA. will be named
members Of the commission Of thre"
which is 10 investigate wages ani
prices in the biluminous coal industry
according to unoffiial reports today
President Wilson is expected 10 name
the commissioners during the day
Both Mr., Peale and NJ. White as
sisted Fuel Administrator Garfield
during the war.
Attorney General Testifes.
Washington, Dec 9.--Termination
of the soft coal strike was not ii set
tlement but victory for the govern
ment. Attorney General Palmer told
the senate subcommittee lntesticat.
ing the strike
The government has won its fight
Mr.. Palmer said. There was no Sc,
Element in actuality. The mon and
the union officers have complied vita
our demands and returned to work. y
Mr.. Palmer said department OF JUS
tice action in the coal strike began
with the preparation Of injunction pro.
ceedines against miners officials uu
der the Lever law.
You have never changed your minG
that the strike was breach of law? ~
Senator Townsend Republican. Mich
igan. inquired
II never have" Mr. Palmer TO
turned The njuntion is still in cf
feet
You considered that the order was
violated, did sou not" Senator Town.
send continued.
Il did. and We i,etitu cd further prt-
ceedings because we had some ef'
dence that the order was not being
obeyed in good faith by some of tn"
officials"
Grand jury inquiries he said, wcre
still going on involving the whole pro-
ceedngs.
Was there anything said 50 that
defendant officers Of the union would
Ne made to understand that no further
prosecution would be commenced
against them" Senator TownScHi in
guired.
Not one word" Mr., Palmer said.
After u deadlock en>ucd he
continued, "Dr. Garfield was brought
in and he told both operators and
miners that the price of coal could
no he increased one cent to pay wage
increases basing his findings on cal
culations which he made that a wage
increase of II per cent could he given
the men and paid by the operators
without increasing the present price
of coal
This proposal the miners rejected
and all parties returned home |
then settled down to 60 through tn"
fight to the end. resolved to see the
injunction order obeycd as best |
could in the hope that production
would be gradually resumed"
Mr.. Palmer then told of the confer
ence he had with John l.. Lewis and
VIM. Green, president and secretary
of the miners union on Dec 6 which
was arranged by John j. Keenan, of
the Department Of Labor. At that
time. the attorney general said ci'a-
tions charging criminal contempt had
then been issued against Lewis
I;reen and other officials o: the union
Mr. Palmer said that when Lewis
and Green arrived from indianapolis
he told them the governments posi-
tiOn would be maintained and that ne
change in it would be permitted
Was DR., Gariield's plan consider
ed?" interrupted Senator Townsend
AT the conference with these gen
temen." Mr. Palmer said, II informed
them that II the men went back to
work the Presidents assurance of q
fair settlement would be carried out
They pleaded for a 81 per cent ad
vance in wages, but said that was
not my part Of the job | told then
the government could not surrender
to the United Mine Workers and wa.
bound to win In the end. The Presi
dent. the department Of Justice ant
the federal court had agreed
They left me at 200 p. IN. withon
saying what they were going to dc
hut cam eback later with Mr., Tumul
ty. secretary to the President.
then read to them the President
statement OF Dec. s and they annOunt
ed that they were ready to acquiesc
In It,"