The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-11-15

EINTERNATIoNAL NEWS sERWcEl
WASHINGTON, Nov lb---Ihe nrst
lift in tins coal conference came today
The operators fatty refused TO accept
Secretary of Labor wilson's proposal
that the conference negotiate national
age scale
p. ". Lukens. acting as spokesman
for the operators, declared that they
v ould not agree to single wage scale
ter ali fe-ds.
CREATED STIR
he action OF the operators threw the
,ynference into an uprosr instantly.
John Lewis. acting president Of the mine
:, rsers. leaped to his feet and in fiery
sluteuces hurled charges OF bad faith
~ tte operators.
a charge of bad faith comes with
j 5or grace from the United Miners now
said Mr. Lukins.
They have engaged ir a strike which
tae federal government says Is an abso-
.tle violation of the existing wage con-
ct. This extends 70 the outlying dis
trsees which are covered by local con-
.r4ets~
EEwIs DENIES STATEMENT
4 deny that statement. said AIR
wis rising to his feet.
We can bring in the facts and prove
7saa, we say" replied NIr- Lukins.
Let's have them" shouted voices on
the miners side Of the hall.
\ contract for one field IS easy TO
Iaake." continued Mr. Lukins. .'and es-
tlbIishes the basis and 1xes the princi-
ple On which contracts for the surround
ing and outlying districts may be fixed
Il We tried 70 organize the whole coun-
f-y into one field We would never get
through. The statement Of Mr.. Lewis Is
simply 10 hoodwink The public and be-
cloud the issue"
we accept the proposal OF Secretary
Wilson to make the wage agreement
,.7verlnE the whole country" shouted
swts. he charged the operators at
4he outset Of tho conference with repudi-
sttnx the basis for negotiations laid
down by Secretary Wilson in mis- speech
yesterday.
Il vas understood that the operators
based their refusal in deciding the mat
f-r among themselves to consider q ma
tfon-uide. contract. on the fact that ua-
der the washington wage agreement,
-hich = nationwide in scope il has
been possihIe for the mine workers to-
all the recent strike. Under the nd
stem Of wage contracts. strikes were
soraned TO the local districts covered
t,v a single wage contract
GREEN In REPLY.
vvra. Green. secretary-tre surer OF the
fafted Nine Workers. replied TO Lukins
The operators here refuse 70 accept
Your propos itlon. ne said. facing Sec
fetary- wilson. How long ere miners
4a accept every requirement of the fed
~rat government and operators not do
soe L IS unfair 20 this controversy for
this 20 continue. when Is The federal
government 70 tell the operators What
thev must do L has been telling the
miners what they had 20 do"
This operators, before entering the con-
ference yesterday held q session in
which thsy decided that thew would in-
zist UPON separate wage contracts COW
criug the different producing fields III
stead Of a nationwide agreement The
.-fners apparently interpreted this ac-
zion this morning as putting Up pos
.sbie barrier ln calling of future strikes
eThe question arises whether the fed-
crat goreraraent is Interested ia the
H. fnars receiving b decent living wage
e.eciared Green .s7po thing that those
ho speak for tie federal government
believe that those VINO mine coal should
80 zrautea decent American standard
af Nving We don't believe thai the
interest of the public demands that
In5ners should work in mines and not
have the American standard of Irving
II SC takes a sixty per cent increase for
tho miners 70 secure a decent living
ware then the federal government
should see that thev get r."
Green asked whether It was possible
ii maintain tag family budget on from
go to sfa0a a year. lie pointed our
-r4- = gnu ff-cs were lost every wear