The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1919-11-27
OPERATORS
WILL ACCEPT.
MINERS WON'T
Heads of Bituminous Industry
to Decide on Garfield Offer
- Brotherhood Scorns
Compromise.
IA PER CENT INCREASE
(By Associated Press)

WASHINGTON. Nov. 27-Mine o.
orators Of the United States definite
ly voted today to accept Fuel Admin
istrator Garfield's proposal for settle
ment Of the coal strike. An over
whelming majority Of operators vere
satisfied with the offer Of . II per
cent increase in wages to the men.
without any consequent increase In
the price Of coal
Officials Of the United Mine work
ers Of America were not to meet until
late in the day. but apparently there
was little change Of sentiment amonG
them in opposition to the fuel admin
1stratlon's proposal The union men
still were seriously considering q re-
lection Of the offer and a continuance
OF the strike which already has
brought about q national coal crisis
The miners said the governments
offer was less than that Of 20 per cent
made voluntarily by the operators laet
week. To this the operators replied
that the 20 per cent increase was
based expressly On an expected in
crease in the price Of coal.
Some miners believed a convention
of the United Mine workers represen-
tatives possibly would be called to
pass finally on the matter. Some Of
willing than the miners to accept tho
governments offer, holding that the
increased wages without an increase
IN coal prices would be unfair, and
would result in the closing Of mines.
Miners Denounee Offer.
Administrator Garfield last night
told the miners and operators of q
government plan of settling the DIS
pute by granting the miners a IA per
cent increase in wages with the en-
phatic stipulation that there would be
no increase in the price Of coal to the
public.
This brought an outcry from both
the miners and operators. The min
ers declared they would not accept the
IA per cent increase and that under
such plan the men would not return
to work. Some of the more deter
mined miners asserted feelingly that
they considered the offer an aiasuh''
and before they would accept it they
would go back home and flight II OUT
In the coal fields as they considered
the strike order still in effect.
| The operators protested that the
fourteen per cent wage increase with
out an increase in the price of coal
would force some of the larger COM
panies out of business and declared
they were ready to renew the nezo-
tiations.
So with the situation here standing
in chaos. more parleys will be held to-
day in an effort to arrive at some So
luton Of a problem which is vexinE
the government and causing anxiety
among the public in view Of the rap
idly decreasing coal supply.
! CHICAGO, Nov. 27-Already facing
or in the grasp of a coal shortage,
| much OF the country today was con-
fronted with the prospect OF taxing
further, steadily emptying fuel bins.
as real winter weather drove down
autumn temperatures that had pre-
vailed for several days. Efforts Of
the government to bring about an
agreement between the miners rep
resentatives and operators at Wash
! ington that might lead to resumption
| OF production in the bituminous coal
mines, held out little hope Miners
generally were agreed there would be
little work done under the offer of
Fuel Administrator Garfield Of a IA
per cent wage increase and protection
| for miners who cared to return to
work.
At the mine pits the past "a hours
brought no development Of note a.
the national strike approached the
end of the fourth week.
Fifty-two men arrested by federal
troops acting with the United States
marshal and county sheriff at Car
NEVILLE, Wyoming. today were to be
Continued on Page Two)
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