Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-07
President Proposes
It-Miners' Lead
ers Approve.
WILL BE ACTED
UPON TUESDAY
To Be Submitted to
Executive Committee
at indianapolis.

Executive Committee
at indianapolis.
ATTORNEY General Palmer announced
after midnight that an agreement was
reached here yesterday between gov
eminent officials and John l.. Lewis
acting president. and William Green
secretary treasurer of the United
Nine Workers, under which proposal
for termination OF the soft coal strike
will be submitted to a meeting OF the
executive committee Of the mine Work
ers at Indianapolis on Tuesday.
The proposal. which is not de-
scribed in the statement, was proposed
by President Wilson looking to a
speedy termination of the strike situa-
ton and adjustment of the entire con-
troversy," the statement says. Lewis
and Green will urge acceptance of the
proposal
Text Of Palmer's Statement.
Mr.. Palmer's statement follows:
"A conference was held at the De-
partment of Justice in washington
on Saturday, at which were present
the Attorney General, Mr.. Tumulty.
secretary to the President; John l..
Lewis, acting president. and William
Green, secretary-treasurer. of the
United Mine Workers of America.
with a view to reaching an under
standing between the government and
the coal miners which. would result
in a settlement OF the coal strike.
AT the conference there was sub
united definite. concrete proposition
from the President looking to speedy
and an adjustment of the entire con-
troyersy. The officers of the United
Mine Workers. in response to the sue-
gestion of the President agreed TO
and have called a meeting Of OF the ra gen
sentatives OF all the district organi-
- cations and the international eXecu-
tive board of the United Mine WORK
ers, to be held in indianapolis Iues.
day, December Q. at o'clock pm. az
-, which time the Presidents proposal
wilt bA considered and its sacceptance
by the miners urged by Mr.. Lewis
and Mr.. Green. The Attorney Gen.
eral will be in Indianapolis iuesoaS'
Comes as n Surprise.
The announcement came as COM
plete surprise, as government OIL.
Acials had not made known the iace
that the union leaders had been called
into conference or that new pro-
nosaIs were under consideration. the
presence of Lewis and Green in the
city was rumored during the oay' out
could not be confirmed.
The fact that Mr.: Palmer talked with
President Wilson in the course OF tne
day on the coal situation was known,
but no intimation of the nature o. the
conference was obtainable either from
Mr.. Palmer, prior to his announcement,
o. at the White House.
Optimistic Over Outlook.
When the announcement was made.
officials would not comment as to the
nature of the proposals to be submitted
at Indianapolis. The text OF the state
Of government officials indicated clear
~, however. that acceptance by the
miners was anticipated.
Not Regarded as Compromise.
DR.. Garfield would not comment fur
ther than to indicate that he did not
regard the proposal advanced to the
promise. The statement issued by Mr..
Palmer. it was learned, was prepared
after conference with the fuel admin
istrator. and whatever the proposal
was consistent with DR.. Garfield s
earlier statement that no compromise
would be made in the strike situation.
Solution of the nations coal crisis
problem now rests solely with Attorney
General Palmer. Fuel Administrator
Garfield and Director General Hines of
the railroad administration They have
determined upon countrywide policy
to meet the fuel famine, it was declared
last night. and will pursue it with the
utmost vigor.
Independent offers Of wage raises to
miners by state ami local officials or
by operators will be discountenanced
by the big three" federal agencies as
encouraging dangerously the miners
TO remain on strike with the hope OF
forcing the government to abandon
its position regarding the II per cent
increase. Wage discussions by local
officials or operators with idle miners. it
was declared, may be construed by the
Department Of Justice as tending to
weaken Federal Judge Anderson's
strike injunction order and to be a
violation OF the spirit of the Lever
act controlling the price of coal
It also was declared that many labor
leaders agree that continuation of the
longed injury to the labor movement.
Firm Against Compromise.
The coal strike cannot be COM
promised with the consent Of the fed
eral government in any fashion that
will mean an advance in the price OF
coal to the public, Fuel Administra.
tor Garfield had declared late yester-
day.
The fuel administrators statemen,
was made after day spent in hear.
ing compromise proposals from dele.
cations Of business men and others
from various parts of the country
DR.. Garfield took the position
that no wage advance in excess OF
IA per cent is possible under the price
of $2.35 per ton, mine run, hxed or
coal by the fuel administrator. Al
the same time it was pointed out thai
the government had no. authority tt
fix wages and that no objection could
be interposed If operators favorably
situated agreed to pay more than the
profit without charging the increase
to the public.
Declaring himselr sick and tired
of proposals to make the people beal
additional burdens" DR.. Gar" IA caic
the fuel administration alone had au.
thority to increase coal prices neces
sary to pay wage advances in excess
government So long as he was fue
administrator, he said. no advance IL
the price to the consumer for thi.
purpose would be allowed.
Discussing restrictions imposed IL
the use of coal, DIR. Garfield sal,
local differences in the severity o
the application of the curtailment or
ders soon would disappear unde
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