Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-12-16
MINERS OFFICIALS
DEBATE PROPOSALS
Conservatives and Radicals in
Bitter Argument, Is Report.
LEADERS ARE DEADL0cKED
Committeeman Adjourn Conference
Overnight Without Reaching De-
cision on Presidents Offer
Every Man Wants to Talk.

Indianapolis, Dec. 10.-The confer
ence of executive and scale commit
teemen of the United Mine Workers
of America adjourned overnight with
out reaching a decision on President
Wilson's proposal for settlement of
the strike.
The terms were laid before the
executive and scales committee at two
O'Clock in the afternoon by John l..
Lewis, acting president.
The meeting of the miners was be-
hind closed doors and no information
was allowed to leak out. 1t was ex-
pected. however, that every man in
the room would talk and there Is no
limit to the debate.
Previous to the meeting it was
known there was opposition to accept
ing the terms. Mr.. Lewis had an
nOunced he was satisfied and would
recommend that the committee accept.
The Presidents Proposal.
President Wilson's proposal to the
miners as basis for settling the
strike, made public here by Attorney
General A. Mitchell Palmer after its
submission to the mine workers con-
ference, had as its basic features IA
per cent wage increase and the APP
pOintment of a commission to deter
mine whether a further increase is
warranted, and is as follows:
81 have watched with deep concern
the developments in the bituminOuS
coal strike and am convinced there
Is much confusion in the minds of
the people generally and possibly of
both parties to this unfortunate con-
trOversy as to the attitude and pur-
poses of the government in it's han
ding of the situation.
1.-The mine owners offered wage
Increase of 20 per cent, conditioned,
however, upon the price of coal being
raised to an amount sufficient to cover
this proposed increase of wages which
would have added at least S15O,OOO,O00
TO the annual coal bill of the people.
''The fuel administrator, in the light
of present information, has taken the
position, and l think with entire JUS
LITIGATION, that the public is now pay
ing as high prices for coal as it ought
to be required to pay and that any
wage increase made at this time ought
to come out of the profits of the coal
operators.
Would EquaIize Wages.
''In reaching his conclusion, the fuel
administrator expressed the personal
opinion that the IA per cent increase
in all mine wages is reasonable, be-
cause it would equalize the miners
wages on the average with the cost of
living, but he made it perfectly clear
that the operators and miners are at
liberty to agree upon larger increase,
provided the operators will pay it out
of their profits so that the price of
coal would remain the same.
'"The secretary of labor, in an eff
fort at Cancellation between the par
ties expressed his personal opinion in
favor of a larger increase. His effort
at Cancellation failed, however, be-
ing to pay the scale he proposed I'M
less the government would advance
the price of coal to the public and this
the government was unwilling to do.
1.-THE fuel administrator had also
suggested that tribunal be created
I'm which the miners and operators
would be equally represented to con-
slider further questions of wages and
working conditions, as well as profits
of operators and proper prices for
coal. 1 shall. of course, be glad to aid
I'm the formation of such tribunal.
Assured Steady Employment.
81 understand the operators have
generally agreed TO absorb an in
crease of IA per cent in wages, so that
the public would not pay to exceed the
present price fixed by the fuel adj
ministrator, and thus way is opened
to secure the coal of which the people
sumo work on these terms pending a
thorough investigation by an impartial
commission which may readjust both
wages and prices.
by the accordance of such q plan
the miners are assured immediate
steady employment at substantial
Increase in wages and are further as
sured prompt investigation and action
upon questions which are not now set
tied TO their satisfaction.
Il must believe that with a clear
understanding of these points they
will promptly return to work. If, new
ertheless, they persist in remaining on
strike. they will put themselves in an
attitude of striking in order to force
the government to increase the price
of coal 10 the public. so as to give a
still further increase in wages at this
time rather than allow the question of
a further increase in wages to be
dealt with in an orderly manner by a
fairly constituted tribunal represent
ing all parties interested.
Must Resume Work.
No group of our people can Justify
such position, and the miners owe ii
60 themselves, their families, their
fellow workmen in other industries