Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-12-20
SAYS PALMER
MADE EFFORT
TO C0MPR0MIs |:
1 Operator Declares He Wanted
to Give More Than IA
Per Cent
THEY REGARDED 1T AS
COWARDLY SURRENDER
Following Attorney Generai >
Claim of Victory in Strike
New Charges Against
Him are Opened

Washington, Dec. 19.-AttofneS
General Palmer told a senate Goa
investigating committee To-Day
i f1ll story Of his own and the gen
Neral governments actions IN con
S e nection with the strike OF oto oa
Mmincus miners, concluding MS ~
Utimony with the declaration tna'
Ethe Nfirm, strong hand OF the gov,
eminent" finally had forced the
Alfred M. Ogle, chairman OF
The Mecutive committee OF the
R;tur%inous Coal Operators asso,
4c;af;on took the stand a moment
after the attorney general con.
B Guided and told the commlttee
that Mr.. Palmer endeavored on
Friday. December 5, to induce the
coal operators to compromise with
the miners on a basis of more than
IA per cent wage increase sug-
gested in behalf of the government
by Former Fuel Administrator
Garfield.
Ogle surprised the committee
with the assertion that Mr.. Pal
mer had told the operators FEEDER
al Judge Anderson at Indianapolis
who issued an injunction against
the strike leaders on the govern
ment's application, might '''act in a
characteristic fashion and put a
lot Of union leaders in JAIL thus
precipitating terrible indus
trial situation"
eve replied" Ogle said, "that
we considered the proposal a cow
ardly, dastardily surrender of the
rights of the public and the gov
eminent. We considered it a COM
promise Of principles, far more
important than any questions of
the wages of miners. or our own
profits as operators of coal mines.
We thought it a question of the
maintenance of law and order in
1.-THE United States"
s Continue Probe.
4 Ogle's testimony, given after
attorney General Palmer, who
was before the committee prac-
tically the entire day, had left the
room, came as the climax to a
series of revelations concerning
the governments movements in
the strike. The operators chair
man refused to divulge details
when first put on the stand, but
finally told his story after getting
permission to consult his attorney,
Rush Butler, who was also called
as witness.
Chairman Frelinghuysen of the
senate committee indicated, after
conclusion Of the hearing, that
the investigation would be contin-
ued on the strength of the infor-
nation brought out.
The attorney general, aided by
questions from Senator Townsend,
republican, Of Michigan, took the
committee over the entire ground
traversed by the government III
the strike. After Fuel Admins
traitor Garfield, who later resigned,
because of the settlement, had sug-
gested and the miners had rejected
a IA per cent wage increase and
a retention of the present price
on coal, the government, he said,
had prepared to fight the thing
out" Then John J. Keegan, an
attache of the department of Ia
Dor, brought about successful
mediation. John L. Lewis and
VIM. Green, president and secre.
tary, respectively, of the United
Mine Workers, came to Washing
! ton on their own volition, Mr.
Palmer said, and held two private
I conferences with him in one day.
President Wilson, meanwhile
&ad prepared a statement, Mr.
y Palmer said, and at the SECOND
conference, which Joseph P. Tu-
multy, secretary to the president
attended the miners representa-
tives "acquiesced to the presi-
dents proposal" There was nc
Settlement" of the strike, Mr.
Palmer said, "but an arrangement
which finally accomplished the
object we wanted-the production
of COAL"
Garfield Opposed Beard.
Between the first and secom
conferences with the miners unior
Rhlefs, Mr.. Palmer said, Secretary
the Treasury Glass. Directo,
General of the Railroads Hines
and Fuel Administrator Garfield
pad been consulted and had ap
proved the arbitration plans.
Finally on a train going to In
annapolis, where injunctions pro
eedings were to be disposed OF
Mr.; Palmer accompanied by Levi
md Green, drew up a memoran
um specifying the condition
ghich the miners accepted. 1t wa
eis memorandum which finall,
used Mr.. Garfield to resign, tn
Vstlmony developed, because o
Is terms. It proposed to Great
commission of three with powe
"readjust both wages an
prices" he explained, while Dl
Continued on page eighth