Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1919-12-05
D. S. OFFER REFUSED
GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL TURNED
DOWN BY MINERS; FARLEY
BREAKS UP IN ROW.
SHEER AT IA PCT. INCREASE
Conference of Operators and Miners
in Efforts to End Tieup Adjourns
Sine Die - Cabinet Offer Draws
Bitter Denunciaton.

Washington, Nov. 2S.-The govern
| ment's offer of Il per cent increase
OF wages was fatty rejected by the
| coal miners.
AS result the conference between
| the miners and operators adjourned
| sine die with the settlement of the
| wage controversy still "in the air." No
| provision was made for the resumption
of the conference, the miners declar-
| ing that they were going home and
| sit tight"
The miners rejection came after the
| operators had accepted the govern
ment's proposal as basis for set
| Element although they declared that
| the increase without raising the price
of coal to the public would mean the
| loss of profits to a large number of
| mines and would seriously interfere
with production.
After the rejection the operators
| rendered compromise offering to sub
init the entire dispute to board of
| arbitration. This also was refused by
the miners and the conference took an
] adjournment.
Statement by Lewis.
The following statement was dictat-
ed by Acting President John L. Lewis
of the United Mine Workers:
1.-THE miners and operators joint
conference adjourned sine die. The
| mine workers representatives declined
to recommend to the miners any ac-
| ceptance of the IA per cent increase
| offered.
1.-THE operators pretended to be will
| ing to grant this IA per cent increase,
| but in the same breath stated that they
would be unable to operate a large
| number of their mines unless they had
an increase in the selling price of coal.
| 1t would be foolish for us to attempt
| to make any agreement with the OPP
orators unless their mines were to be
operated.
"The position of the mine workers
is unchanged. We hold that the Uni
ted States government cannot break
it's word. The pledge given by Secre-
tary Of Labor Wilson to grant a 31.6
per cent increase in wages must be re-
deemed
'In my judgment Doctor Garfield
and the cabinet have committed the
most colossal blunder In the industrial
history of our nation. They are blind
ly following an academic theory with
out regard to justice to the mine work
ers or the effects of such theory upon
the people of the country.
Says Justice Is Denied.
1.-THE responsibility for the crisis now
confronting the nation must lie upon
those statesmen who are using the
powers of the government to Cypress
and deny justice to the great element
of citizenship directly concerned in the
mining industry.
II cannot believe that the people of
our country will indorse policy of
OPPRESSION and repression which
means continued industrial chaos. and
intense suffering on the part of the
mine workers and our entire citizen
ship"
The letter sent to Doctor Garfield
by the operators of the central COM
petitive coal field, accepting the gov
ernments offer, reads:
Recognizing the seriousness of the
present crisis and the urgent need of
the country for coal, we wish to advise
you that, subject to your approval and
conditioned upon the mines resuming
operations Immediately, the operators
scale committee of tie central COM
petitive coal field accept, as a basis
for the settlement of the present wage
controversy end termination of the
strike, the figures submitted by you
to the joint meeting of operators and
miners held yesterday evening, name
ly, an average increase of IA per cent
to be granted to all classes of mine la
Dor, such increase to be apportioned in
accordance with the wage bases that
are acceptable to the employees and
employers thus preserving present
differentials. Otherwise than as above,
modified in complete accordance with
your proposal, the present contract In
all it's term and conditions to be con-
tinued in full force and effect until
March 81, 1922.
1--WE have already notified the miners
to this effect.
Says Profits Eliminated.
"At the same time we wish to call
your attention to the fact that the ac-
ceptance of this increase in wages
without any increase in selling prices
entirely eliminates the profits of
large number of mines. Such a large
number, in fact, we fear that the pro-
duction of coal will be seriously af-
fected. We understand that operating