Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-12-17
COAL SITUATION IS oLEARBD.
Minors Agree Finally to President
Wilson's Plan.

COal miners strlke Is ended. With
but one dissenting vote, the general
committee Of the United Mine Work
ers OF America, in session here this
afternoon, voted to accept President
Wilson's proposal for immediate re-
turn to work pending final settle
ment Of their wage controversy with
operators by a commission to. be an
pointed by him.
Return to Work ut Once.
kilograms were sent out tonight
to the four thousand locals Of the
union by international officials Of the
mine workers i%nstructing the men
to return to work Immediately. Full
Instructions with regard to the
agreement will be SEN out to-mor-
row morning.
Predict Full Operation.
Operators tonight predicted full
resumption Of operations FRIDAY and
shipment Of coal from the mines be-
ginning Monday morning. Miners,
operators and government officials
alike were highly gratified owe the
settlement tonight and all sides ap-
peared confident Of Il final satisfac-
tory settlement Of the fight by the
commission.
Widespread Suffering.
The action to-day ends a tie-uD
OF the coal industry Of more than
five weeks duration and one which
was more far-reaching in it's effects
than any other in the history Of the
country. AS a result of the strike
the country was fast approaching a
complete shutdown Of industry and
widespread suffering among It's 1907
100000 inhabitants.
Conservatives Win Out.
The decision Of the miners came
after many hours Of debate in which
the radical element in the general
committee made incendiary speeches
against operators and others inter-
cstcd in settlement of the strike and
for a time threatened TO defeat eff
forts to settle the strike at this
time. The conservative element,
led by Acting President John l..
Lewis and Secretary-Treasurer Will
liam Green, gained control Of the
situation this morning and sue
ceeded in putting down practically
all opposition by the time the ques-
ton came to Il vote.
Radicals Gain Point.
One concession was made to the
radicals. The convention agreed to
''S oiiii6 VI " 6OhSld COlS tllllOH
Of the miners at a future date, at
which time the action Of and reasons
for the general committee will be
fully explained. The opponents Of
acceptance OF President Wilson's
plan made their fight principally on
the theory that only a general con-
yention Of the mine workers had
power to call off the strike.
Members of the general committee
tonight steadfastly refused to make
public the name Of the delegate who
cast the one dissenting vote.
Palmer Comnends Lewis.
Mr.. Palmer's first statement eXS
pressed his qualification at the de-
cision Of the united mine workers
and commended Mr.. Lewis and Mr..
Green for their wise and patriotic
action"
A supplemental statement issued
this evening follows:
Operators Accept.
"The miners at their meeting this
afternoon accepted the Presidents
proposal exactly as written, and !
understand the operators committee
have announced their acceptance Of
1t. 1T provides for the immediate
general resumption of operations in
GIL ilClo ulOH IiS udSlS "llCH ID
tanned October 81, 1919, except as
to wages, which r to be IA per
cent higher than at that date. This
means hat the men shall be taken
back to work in all mines in the
positions and upon the terms of their
contracts Of employment then exist
ing; and it is confidently expected
that the mine Owner will accede
to the governments earnest request
that the status quo Of October 81 be
promptly re-established in order that
peaceful relations between employer
and employees in all parts of the
mining fields may be Immediately
resumed. am asking the Governors
OF all coal mining States to cooper
ate In the effort to bring this about"
Statement by Owners.
Expressing qualification hat the
strike was ended, n statement was
given out here tonight by local
operators with the announcement
that 1t had been obtained by long
distance telephone from the execu-
tive committee Of the National BIZ
luminous Coal Operators Assoc:a-
ton In Washington. The statement
follows:
I'VE are pleased that the miners
have voted to return to work and
that the public can be promptly sup
piled with coal. Realizing tho i'm
perative public need OF coal In large
quantities, the operators stand ready
now. as in the past, to bend all
their energies toward a maximum
!; production, beginning at once"
Statement by Miners.
Two statements were given out
by international officials OF the
miners, n Of them having been