The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-12-01
TEST in STRIKE
DUE THIS WEEK
Notices Posted in Mines of
Governments Offer of Ia
Per Cent. Increase.
GARFIELD PLANS ACTION

Washington, Dec. 1.-The real test
In the coal situation comes this
week.
with notices posted in most of the
bituininous mines making announce
ment of the governments proffer of
II per cent. increase In wages. this
week will determine whether the in
dividual miners are going to accept
this increase, or whether they are 60
ing to stand by the union officials,
remain away from their work and
fight.
DIR. Garfield. fuel administrator, Is
confident many of the miners will
resume work this week and that coal
production will be sufficiently in
creased to check an absolute famine.
With official figures showing that
coal production Is but SO per cent. of
| normal the fuel and railroad admin
istrations were today preparing to
put in effect even more drastic steps
for the conservation of coal than
those now in force. The closing of
all nonessential industries Is eX-
pected to be the next step.
The department of justice is pre-
pairing for action against both miners
and operators who may violate the
law, and attempt to restrict produc-
tion.
To Protect Trade Unions.
Assurance chat the government
would not tolerate any attempt to de-
stroy trade unions or the principle
of collective bargaining on the part
of employing interests wishing to
take advantage OF the present situ-
alton" was given today by DR.. Gar
field.
Report has come to me that the
present crisis in the coal industry
will be used to break down the labor
unions" Or. Garfield said. ~ wish
to say that am as much opposed to
an attempt to destroy the principle
Of collective bargaining and the un on
Of workingmen as am to the effort
Of labor leaders to keep labor salts.
tied by a constant boosting of wages
regardless of the public interest OF
trial world 10 boost profits unduly Il
the hurt of the public.
"Any attempt to oomplicate the is.
sue at this time by seeking to ee'
stroy the union of mine workers OF
t'e P'lnCipIo OF ColSStiNc pd' Ja'fhhI
will be resented by the public and
opposed by me-"
THE principle applied in arriving
at II per cent is different in kind
and character from that applied In
arriving at 31.61 per cent, and hence
any attempt to average the two, oI
to compromise the results is impos-
sble," DR.. Garfield said.
"a wage advance of 31.61 per cent,
as suggested by Secretary Wilson
would give total wage advance
since 1913 of 1914 per cent, as COM
pared with a maximum advance OF
70 per cent. in living costs" he added
| Miners are paid by the ton" he
said. Other mine workers are paid
by the day. The day laborers gen.
orally have received advances oi
wages since 1913 equal to, and in
some instances IN excess of, the in
crease in the cost of living.
THE proposition that a general in
crease of 3l.61 per cent. be given is
simply a proposition to give all mine
labor the percentage of increase re-
quired to bring the class of labor that
has received the lowest per cent. ur
to the present level of living costs
even though that advances the other
| groups far above the amount neces-
sary."
DIR. Garfield pointed out that sta
tistics of the national industrial con-
| ference board showed only a 73 per
cent. increase in the cost of living
| and that on this basis the miners
would be entitled to only 9.8 per cent.
wage advance.
"On an annual output of 10000, ,00O
TONS" DIR. Garfield said, 1.-THE addi-
tional wage bill would approximate
| $23S,0O0,00O with a 31.61 FER cent, ad
vance, $107,000,000 with a III per
cent. increase, and $74,000,0 with a
9.8 per cent. advance"