The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-30

ducing coal 1t is claimed that the cost
under the new wage scale will exceed
the contract price made with the rail-
roads, especially where the contract price
is less than that fixed by the govern
ment.
1t has never been the policy " the
government to compel individuals or cor
porations to furnish supplies to any of
its departments at a loss, and as the
government is operating the railroads,
those operators who investigated the
matter yesterday expressed the belief
that an adjustment of prices would be
made to meet this condition
One operator pointed out that when
the government fixed the price of coal
in 1917 an investigation was made later
at the request of one of the operating
corporations in the Birmingham district,
which disclosed that the company was
actually losing money on every ton of
coal mined. Upon the report of the gov
eminent experts to this effect the COM
pany was authorized to advance the
price of its coal to a figure that would
enable it to earn a reasonable dividend
en- it's investment.
ATTORNEYS INVESTIGATING
1t seemed to be the opinion yesterday
that similar action would be taken in
regard to the railroad contracts, though
no one could speak with authority on the
sabject. Several attorneys employed by
coal operating companies yesterday were
investigating the question as to the right
of the companies to demand a revision
of the contracts since the government
has virtually compelled an advance in
the mine wage scale. They contend that
equity would require the government to
agree to a revision upwardNof these con-
tracts.
William L. Harrison. international or
ganizer of the United Mine Workers. yes.
terday gave out the following statement;
The IA per cent increase in wages
recommended by DIR. Garfield as a
basis of settlement of the controversy
between the coal miners and coal op-
orators of this country was immediate
ly seized upon by the coal operators OF
this district, Notwithstanding the TACT
that the Alabama operators, through
out these negotiations, have steadfast~
w maintained that they were not
party to nor affected by the negotia-
. lions that had been going on in Wash
|ington. The Alabama operators &C
ceptance of this IA per cent increase
and their proposal to put same into eff
feet on December l, was the golden OPP
portunity that they were looking for
throughout this whole controversy.
Their acceptance Is a clever ruse upon
their part to try to avoid or forestali
general settlement of the miners
grievances in this district. The one
thing uppermost in the minds of the
coal operators of this district is to
avoid an effective programme Of col
n a. nj in n rannQnltf0n
the mine workers organization and any
adjustment of local internal conditions
prevailing in the coal mines of this dis
| trict, and through the acceptance OF
| the IA per cent increase they hope to
| avoid any general settlement of these
| questions vital to the welfare of the
mine workers of Alabama.
INCREASE is INADEQUATE
| ''The IA per cent increase is wholly
inadequate to meet the increase in the
cost of living of the mine workers
| throughout the country and especially
| in Alabama, where wages are far be-
/ low the standards in other districts.
The mine workers of this district
| will not be satisfied with this small
! increase-nor with any kind of an in
crease without any agreement or gen
| eral settlement of these other questions
! involved, nor will it allay the unrest
prevalent throughout the district, be-
cause they are fully aware of the pur-
| poses and objects of the coal operators
| in this matter; they know that without
| some protection through their organ
| ization, this small increase SO eagerly
grabbed by the operators, will be shift
ed to the shoulders of the mine work
ers through the devious means know
to the operators, by increasing the
prices of mining supplies and by en-
~. q
which they will be helpless to proven
and powerless to resist and that the,
will have gained absolutely nothing il
the increase proposed by DR.. Garfield
and put into effect by the Alabama Goa
operators