South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-19
Government Will Force Wage
Agreement Between Min
erS and Operators.
GARFIELD CALLS CONFERENCE
Vanishing Coal Supply Threat
ems Shut Down of Several
Industrial Plants.

Iv Associated Press.
government stepped TO the front
Tuesday. TO force miners and opera
tors to negotiate a new wage agree4
ment and resume work in the BIZ
luminous fields before the country
is in the grip Of a coal famine.
Clothed with all OF his wartime
powers as fuel administrator and
acting by direct authority Of the
presidents cabinet, DIR. Harry A.
Garfield called a joint meeting Of
cale committees at which he was
eSpected TO give formal notice that
the time had come to resume min
ing operations on normal scale.
Action Imperative.
While the joint conference was
set for Tuesday afternoon, DR.. Gar
field found that full attendance
could not be obtained, so it went
over until today. Meanwhile word
was passed that the strike situation
had reached that point where action
was regarded by federal authorities
as absolutely imperative.
There was no evidence, as pres
cuted TO the cabinet that the scale
committees. called here last week
fo negotiate "a new wage agreement,
had made the least headway. Re
ports from the central competitive
fields. embracing the states of Uh-
->fois. Indiana. Ohio and Western
Pennsylvania, strongholds of the
United Mine Workers of America,
showed all mines shut down and
not enough coal coming from nom
union plants in other states TO meet
the normal demands by several mil
lion tons.
Coal VanIshcs.
other reports from widely sepa-
rated sections brought the same
story OF a rapidly vanishing coal
supply. with indications that hun
drcds OF industrial plants would be
forced TO close shortly unless coal
production was put back at normal
lu the view of many officials the
situation was critical enough 10 de
mand drastic action.
Although he would not discuss the
nature OF the statement. he was
prepared 20 lay before the opera-
tors aud miners. il was said on high
authority that Or. Garfield was pre-
pared 90 present the situation forci-
bly, TO the chief representative of
the mine owners and mine workers.
There was no intimation as TO what
direction governmental action would
take in case the deadIocE continued.
CHARLESTON. W. Va. Eov. 1S-
Seventy-flve percent of the union
mines I'm the West Virginia bitu-
minous coal fields We're operating
Tuesday according 10 reports re-
ceived here Tuesday night by coal
operators and officials Of the United
Mine Workers. The production at
the mines however. was less than
20 percent normal because Of lack
OF adequate working forces. il was
said
CHICAGO. Nov. 1S.-There Will
be no drastic general curtailment OF
AIAAU ctlhAt III hAlt q llAlt4 states
at the present time. despite the
seriousness OF the coal problem. This
announc ment was made Tuesday
night az the conclusion of a meeting
attended by Director General Hines
and seven regional directors of the
railroad administration.
~ SALT LAKE CITY. Utah. Nov. is.
Coal miners In the Wyoming dis
trict. after returning TO work. were
persuaded by a group of alleged
lad{cals TO walk out again. according
10 "a report received here late today
from Rock springs. Wyo The ef-
rect and scope OF this action is un-
certain. according TO railroad OIL
ciaIs here who have started an in
yestigation.
CASE UNDER AMUSEMENT