Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-10-31
MINERS REJECT
WILSON'S PLEA
Five Hundred Thousand Men Are
to Strike November /,
Says Leader.
PRESIDENTS APPEAL FAILS
John [. Lewis, President of the United
Mine Workers, Says Strike Order
Stands - Coal Operators Ac-
cept Arbitration Offer.

Washington, Oct. 81. Efforts of
Secretary Wilson to avert a strike Of
coal miners in the central COMPETE
tive fields failed the miners rejecting
proposal from President Wilson that
the controversies be arbitrated.
The operators previously had &C.
cepted the presidents proposal. After
tile rejection by the miners the con-
ference of the two scale committees
here was adjourned with every pros
pect that the strike would occur No
vember /, as called
John l.. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers, announced that
the strike order stood and that half
million soft coal miners would quit
work November l. Official notice
that mediation efforts had failed will
be sent at once to all districts, he
stated.
1.-THE operators accepted the pres
ident's offer in toto" Thomas 4.
Brewster, head Of the Coal Operators
association said
The presidents appeal to the min
ers read:
Il have been watching with deep
and sincere interest your efforts to
bring about just settlement of the diff
ferences between the operators and
the coal miners in the bituminous
coal fields of the country.
1T is to be hoped that the good judg-
ment that has been exercised by both
operators and miners in years gone
by in the adjustment of their differ
cnces will again prevail in the present
crisis.
"All organized society is depending
upon the maintenance Of the fuel sup
ply for the continuance of its exist
ence The government has appealed
with success to other classes of work.
ers to postpone similar questions I'M
Til a reasonable adjustment could be
arrived at
with the parties of the contro-
versy rests the responsibility of seeing
that the fuel supply of the nation is
maintained AT this time, when the.
world is in need of more supplies. it
would be cruel neglect of our high
duty to humanity to fail them.
81 have read with interest the sug-
gestion made by you that the wage
scale committees of the operators and
miners go into conference without res
ervation for the purpose of negotiat-
ing an agreement as though no, de-
mands had been made Or rejected,
having due regard to the interests Of
their respective groups. am in ac-
cord with that suggestion.
mo body of men knows better the
details, intricacies and technicalities
Of mining than do the miners and OPP
orators. No body of men can work
out the details of the wage scale on
IA more equitable basis Their judg-
ment would undoubtedly be based upon
a sum total of knowledge OF the in
dustry.
Whatever their differences may be,
no matter how widely divergent their
viewpoints may be from each other,
it is duty which they owe society
to make an earnest effort to negotiate
those differences and to keep the
mines of our country in opera
ton.
After all, the public interest in this
vital matter is the paramount consid-
GRAFTON of TIE government and admits
of no other action than that of con-
Sideration of a peaceful settlement of
the matter as suggested by you.
IF for any reason the miners and
operators fail to come to mutual I'M
derstanding the interests of the public
are of such vital Importance in con-
nection with the production of coal
that it is incumbent upon them to re-
fer the matter in dispute to a board
of arbitration for determination and
to continue the operation of the mines
pending the decision of the board"