South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-21
WHITE, ROBINSON
AND PEALE WILL
PROBE CONDITIONS
Plans to Invest Three Men,
5erS With Power Former
ly Held by Garfield.

fCONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE)
ferred 70 testimony given yesterday
before the senate coal Investigation
committee by Alfred n. Ogle. chair
man OF the executive committee Of
the coal operators, alleging that the
attorney general had suggested to
the operators a compromise with the
miners involving more than a IA
per cent wage increase before the
settlement negotiations between the
government and the miners began.
Ogle told the committee that the
operators considered this proposed
compromise ga cowardly and das-
tardiy surrender OF the rights OF the
public and the government
After quoting this portion OF
Ogle's testimony PaImer's statement
said;
No Truth.
There is not a word of truth in
that statement"
Continuing. Mr.. Palmer SAID:
some difference of opinion had
been expressed as 20 whether the Of
fer Of the operators OF a 20 per cent
increase In wages had been condi-
toned upon an increase i'm the price
Of coal. Mr.. Ogle came 10 me on
Friday. Dec. 9Th. 10 deliver writ
ten copy OF the offer which had
been made by the scale committee
in the joint conference OF miners. T
told his committee that the govern
meut had not the slightest intention
Of making any compromise OF any
kind or character and proposed to
stand squarely upon the position il
had already taken. as announced
several times by the president and
myself The operators had offered
"a 20 per cent increase TO the men
and I asked for informa ton as to
whether that offer was conditioned
upon the price OF coal being raised
whether. as matter of fact the in
dustry could stand am increase Of
wages beyond "A per cent without
raising the price Of coal
Enforcing law.
They replied that their offer had
been made contingent upon "a read
5ustment Of the government price
OF coal and that i'm their opinion
Is per cent increase in wages was
all that could be absorbed by the
operators. 7 made IL perfectly clear
10 them shat I was not concerned
with the merits OF the controversy
between The operators and the min
ers and that I was simply enforcing
the law and proposed TO do so TO
the end This was the entire eX-
tent Of the conversation. There was
not one word i'm IL TO suggest that
was proposing any compromise
settlement or adjustment OF the
matter
"As for the testimony OF Oglo
and others that the presidents plan
is not satisfactory 20 the operators,
j can only say that in every state
mont that the president made upon
the matter he proposed q commits
sion TO investiey te and determine
the matters I'm dispute and that
after each statement was published
the operators committee promptly
said they agreed with the presidents
plan ON Friday Dec. 5th. their
committee told me that they were
at am times heartily in favor of ar
bitratiou OF the matters I'm dispute
by a commission 50 be appointed
by The president ON Sunday. Dee
-tn. read the presidents state
ment 10 AIR. Butler their counsel
not beine able 90 set Mr.. Oglel
and AR Butler stated that it was
perfectly satisfactory. When the
presidents letter and the memoran-
dunn briefly embodying his susges-
tiou were published 1t indianapolis
cora the following Tuesday Thomas
T Brewster. chairman of the scale
committee of the operators of the
central competitive field. announced
at ST. Louis thar the proposal mei
with The unqualified approval of the
operators and that the mines were
ready 20 reopor as soon as the mer
accepted the plan and returned @
work The men have accepted the
plan and they have returned tC
work: production is now takius
place on larger scale than iu any
month OF December for many year,
past. After all this. it would be an
amazing Reputation of their owl
statements II the operators do no
acQuiesce in the plan which theu
official representative have repeat