The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1919-11-19
NATIONS COAL MUST
REOPEN IMMEDIATELY
SAYS UNCLE sam
Officials Regard Immediate Action as
Absolutely Imperative
JOINT CONFERENCE TODAY
Reports Show All Union Mines II
Central Fields Are Shut Down

Washington, Nov. 18.-The govern
ment stepped to the front today to
force miners and operators to nego-
tiate new wage agreement and re-
sumo. work in the bituminous fields
before the country is in the grip Of
a coal famine.
Clothed with all his wartime
powers as fuel administrator and act
ing by direct authority of the Presi-
dents cabinet. DR.. Harry A. Garfield
called joint meeting Of scale COM
A%mittees at which he was expected to
give formal notice that the time had
come to resume mining operations on
normal scale.
Absolutely Imperative.
While the joint conference was set
for this afternoon, DR.. Garfield found
that q full attendance could not be
obtained, 30 it went over until tomor-
row. Near while word was passed
that the strlie situation had reached
that point where action was regarded
by federal authorities as absolutely
imperative. -~'
There was no evidence, as pre-
= sented to the cabinet that the scale
committees, called here last week to
q new wage agreement had
sAmade the least headway. Reports from
the central competitive fields, embrace
ing the States Of Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio and Western Pennsylvania,
strongholds Of the United Mine Work
ers of America showed all mines shut
down and not enough coal coming
from non-union plants in other states
to meet the normal demands by sev-
eral millions tons. Other reports from
widely separated sections brought the
same story of rapidly vanishing coal
@supply, with indications that hundreds
Of industrial plants would be forced
to close shortly unless coal production
wa sput back at normal. In the view
of many officials the situation was
.critical enough to demand drastic ac-
ton.
DR.. Garfield Ready
Although he would not discuss the
nature Of the statement he was pre-
pared to lay before the operators and
miners, it was said on high authori-
ty that DR.. Garfield was prepared to
present the situation forcibly to the
chief representatives Of the mine own
&e,s and mine workers. There was no
intimation sto what direction gov
ernmental action would take in case
the deadlock continued.
Steps taken by Kansas to operate
the mines under government authori-
ty, and fear by both sides that other
States would do likewise, were urged
'Haas strong reason for quick settle
ment Of all wage disputes.
The operators scale committee sent
word to the miners that it was not
ready to meet them in joint session.
Commenting upon statement issued
tonight by their executive committee
denying that the conference "is be-
in& held up because Of differences and
indeeieions on the part Of the opera
tors" spokesmen for the operators de-
clared their entire policy has been
under consideration in their secret
session.
Fail to Resume Work.
The probable attitude Of the admin
istration and the fact that the miners
have not returned to work were said
to be the principal subjects which
have occupied their time. The fail
ure Of the United Mine Workers of
America to tell the men to return to
Z their jobs was said to have left the
/ negotiations in virtually the same
4 state as when the threat Of q strike
s s3pscA the break up Of the Buffalo
meeting.
Some Of the operators held the view
that the government, acting through
Fuel Administrator Garfield. was a
'third party" to tho contracts, and
that the wage scale laid down by tho
Washington agreement could not be
4 changed without the authorization of
Dt.NGarfeld and assurances as to
what changes would be allowed in
{ naxanum coal prices.
Want Hines Views.
Other operators wished to know the
4 views Of the director general Of rail-
1 roads. as the railroad administration
/ is the largest single purchaser of
I coal in the county. The Department
Of Justice was the third government