Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-11-06
COAL OPERATORS
SAY THEY DION 7
QUIT CONF ERENCE
Owners Deny GomperS' Charge
That They Left Conference
Called By Secretary Wilson
To Settle the Strike,


Washington, Nov 5.-Denial of
Samuel Gompers' statement that rep
resentatives of the operators left the
meeting called by Secretary Wilson
for the purpose of trying to settle the
coal strike, was made tonight by the
executive committee of the bltuml-
nous coal operators of the central
competitive fields. The operators en-
pressed willingness to present all facts
to any tribunal that might be named
by the government
"A careful examination of Samuel
Gompers' announcement" said the
operators statement, discloses the alb
sence of a single accurate statement
of facts In that respect his pro-
nouncement is identical with the
statement he put out last week in
which he charged coal operators with
curtailing production to boost prices
Ia statement which even Acting
President Lewis, of the miners organ
ization. emphatically repudiated.
I'm his latest statement Mr.. Com
pers goes lightly from one inaccuracy
to another. He mis-stated working
conditions. miners advances and ope-
rators' selling prices.
Why Operators Withdrew.
at is not true that the operators
representatives walked out of Secre-
tary Wilson's conference, leaving MIR.
Lewis with no alternative but to call
strike. The operators representa-
tives accepted President Wilson's pro-
posal in its entirety and withdrew
from the conference in order that
their presence might not embarrass
Secretary Wilson in his effort to per-
suade the miners 20 take the honor
able course thus opened to them. The
operators advised Secretary Wilson
that they would remain IN Washing
ton awaiting his call to further con-
ference.
1T is not true, as Mr.. Gompers
implies, that the miners are not per-
mitted by the operators, to work fuu
time. The operators have no control
over the demand for coal. They can
merely stand ready to produce and
furnish it when the public requires
and is willing to accept it.
at is not true that the miners re-
| eeived an advance of twenty cents a
ton in 1914
at is not true that the operators
raised the price of coal five dollars a
| ton in 1914. On the contrary, the
| price was reduced.
'It is not true, as Mr.. Gompers
states, that for the past several years
the miners have averaged only 100 70
1870 working days a year.
ut is fact, however-and Mr.,
| Gompers could easily have ascertain
ed it--that virtually every luminous
mine in the country has on its pay
| roll a substantially number of men
deliberately lay off from one to three
! days a week when they have an OPP
| portunity to work.
Must Have Car Supply.
''Mr Gompers states that the
miners are demanding shorter work
ing hours so that their work may be
made regular instead of Intermittent.
How is it possible to effect such regu-
lation? How can mines be worked
when no cars are available? How can
mines be worked on days when mine
sidings and railroad yards are block
ed with loaded cars which the public
does not need and will not buy?
Does Mr.. Gompers think that n
change from an eight-hour day to
six-hour day will compel the public
to buy it's coal far in advance of its
requirements at tremendous advanced
prices, made necessary by increased
pay for less work on the part of the
miners?
'The statement issued by Mr..
Gompers, the American Federation OF
Labor and officials of the United
Mine Workers of America, with re-
spect to hours of work and earnings
of miners have been grossly inaccn-
rate, misrepresentation and mis-
leading to the public"