Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-12-05


statistics for 1919 are not now in your
possession, and we shall rely upon the
government, when such statistics are
properly assembled and presented, to
make such adjustments in selling
prices as will permit these mines to
make such fair and reasonable profits
as they are entitled to under the Lever
law"
William Green, secretary Of the Uni-
ted Mine Workers, said:
Secretary of Labor Wilson states
that the mine workers are entitled to
an increase in wages amounting to Sl.6
per cent. Mr.. Garfield says IA per
cent. Obviously these two conclusions
conflict with each other and, to say
the least, are confusing. The mine
workers know the figures of Secretary
Of Labor Wilson are approximately
correct and the figures of Doctor Car
field are erroneous. The mine workers
challenge the figures of Doctor Car
field and cannot and will not accept
them. We will accept. the figures OF a
responsible cabinet officer, Secretary
Wilson.
Hits at Garfield.
Doctor Garfield, because of the re-
sponsible position which he occupies,
has done a great injustice to a million
miners in America. His statement and
decision has served to inject into the
settlement of the miners wage contro-
versy an almost insurmountable OBJ
stacle. In that respect his action ap-
proaches the commission of a moral
crime against the public.
mine workers cannot mine coal at
the figures fixed by Doctor GARFIELD.
The acceptance of his conclusion
would mean untold sacrifice, suffering
and deprivation on the part OF the
miners and their families. The prob
lem of decent wages and a decent
American standard of living, together
with an adequate production OF coal
cannot be solved as college professor
would work out problem in geometry,
algebra or theoretical philosophy.
"The practical way to solve the
present problem of coal production is
to grant the miners an increase IN
wages sufficient to meet the Increase
in the cost of living and to guarantee
them an American standard of living.
They will then risk their lives in the
mines, accept all the hazards OF the
industry and mine steady stream OF
coal sufficient to meet every require
ment."
GarfieId's Ruling.
Acting under instructions from the
cabinet, United States Fuel Admins
traitor Garfield told the coal miners
and the operators that the wage in
crease for the miners should be IA per
cent and that the price of coal to the
public should not be raised.
This declaration, coming from the
government as basis for settling the
wage controversy, was received with
great dissatisfaction by both the
miners and The operators.
Some of the miners representatives
declared that the offer of IA per cent
increase, in the face of the fact that
Secretary of Labor Wilson had Of
fered them 31.6 per cent, was an in
suit. They declared that the miners
would starve idle rather than go back
to the mines at this wage increase.
The operators, who have been ex-
pecting that the government would see
them through on any wage increase.
Ioi1r oVsoriY1 xxyn1116 NOT
permit them to give the miners the IA
per cent out of their own pockets.
They said that it would break many of
the weaker mines and that it meant
ruin and sacrifice of years of earnings
and savings.
Garfield Adamant.
The operators for the most part
bore their disappointment in silence.
hut from the miners came denuncia-
tion after denunciation of the govern
ment's solution. Without reservation,
and without mincing words, the miners
questioned Doctor Garfield and,
through him grilled the government
for more than two hours.
Doctor Garfield stood adamant in the
face of the questions and the criticism
hurled at him from the miners side of
the hall. He answered all questions
without betraying personal excitement
and firmly but kindly told the miners
that what he had laid before them was
purely series of facts.
Doctor Garfield said his statement
~ Co ~
in the case as he had investigated it.
He said that 1t was as # one looked up
at the clock and there read the time.
sThe clock tells you the hour, and
that is what 1 have done. tell you
that per cent of increase which should
be applied to the miners wages, on the
average to equalize wages with the
rise in the cost of living is IA per cent"
said Doctor Garfield.
Shot FroS1 other Barrel.
DR.. Garfield was equally insistent on
his finding that the price of coal should
not be raised at this time. This was
shot fired from the other barrel of his
double-barreled statement to the con-
ference. He made it clear that the
facts, as he found them, meant that if
the miners wages were increased IA
per cent, as he said should be done,
that the burden should be Borne en-
tirely by the operators and not by the
public.
relation to the situation in Mexico.