Arizona republican., 1919-11-23
COAL OPERATORS REST CASE WITH FUEL DIRECTOR
Refuse To Accept Terms Proposed By Wilson Say L a b or Secretary Partis an Suggested Wage Increase Would Make Fuel Prices Almost Prohibitive
LRepubiicsn A. p. Leased Wire]

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22-Refusing to accept proposals made by Secretary Wilson as a basis for further negotia- tions. soft coal operators of the central competitive field rested their case ~ dsy with Fuel Administrative oaI seid whose official approval IS heceS sarv 10 validate any new wage asie ment. .a for q The nublic would not stand TOT a ,rage advance above their offer oI do cents per ton to coal diggers anu -o nercent to day laborers, the operators ssser+ed. They refused to make s1rther overtures or even to relnstate their nroposition, which was Wlen- draurn following the deadlock Frloay' unless the government. through tne fueI administration. assumed respon- .ihi1itv for the added burden to the nations fuel bin.
 Rest Case With Government
 The operators are prepared to leave ,ha entire situation in the hands or the government unless Dr. Gar1leId can find a way out of the difficulty their spokesmen announced. NO 1oint meetings of the sub scale committee were held today.
 pr. Garfield notified the mine own CTS that he would not meet thelr com mittee, of which Thomas T. Brewster is chairman, until after he has con- suited Monday with Attorney General Palmer. Director General Hines and Judge c. B. Ames, assistant attorney general. It was considered likely that the negotiations might have to go over until after the cabinet meeting Tuesday when, it was expected, policy to get the mines back into op- eration before the threatening coal Famine brings disaster, will be out hned.
 Say Labor Secretary Partisan
 Operators representatives author ized the statement that. in their op- inion, figures on which Secretary Wilson based his proposals showing living costs in the coal regions, were partisan. The secretary told the sub scale committee Friday that he did not speak for the government, it was said.
 pr. Garfield is said to have told individual operators that the offer made by them is as large as present conditions justify.
 John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers, tonight charged the operators with "criminally de- laying the negotiations through g conspiracy" on the part of powerful interests" including both owners ant others, who 'Thave been openly oppos- ing settlement"
 Miners Accept Wilson Proposal
 Following a two hour session of ths Mr I or1nnnn0a6 fhnf fh. workers had accepted Secretary Will sons proposal This proposition. sub mitted last Friday, as made publi' today by Mir. Wilson, provided for al increase in mining rates of 27.12 cent per ton, flat increase in day wage of s1.5S and an increase in yards ant dead work of 31.61 percent. MT. Lewi also announced that the miners stoo, on their counter proposal for a sever hour day, Saturday haE holiday an, reference of all internal disputes bacl to the districts in which they originat for settlement.
 May Sign Separate "TrestiesD
 Some of the operators, includin members of the scale committee c the central competitive field, NJ Lewis said. have indicated willing ness to make a separate treaty c peace" without waiting for concerto action. He said he had agreed t sign separate contracts.
 Explaining his suggested wage ad vances, Secretary Wilson said h based his calculations on an increas of 79.S percent in the cost of Twin In three bituminous mining towns sine December 1914. The increase of 27.1 averaging the balance needed to mak the Pittsburg and Hooking Valle pick mining rates equivalent to tn increase in the cost of living, wit the margin on the same basis in tn Danville and Indiana fields.
 Operators attacked Mir. Wilson figures on the ground that. frol eighty to 90 per cent of mining in tn central competitive field is by ma chiRery. Calculated on a basis , machine mining. Mir. Wilson's pro posal would mean a wage raise of il per cent, they said. The secretary suggestion of 31.61 per cent increas in the day wage would mean an ir crease over 1914 of 131.7 per cent. the added.