The sun., 1919-10-19
MINERS STRIKE
SEEMS CERTAIN
Soft Coal Workers Insist Upon
Higher Pay and Five
Day Week.
SEC'Y WILSON Is HOPEFUL
Operators and Men to Meet
With Him on Tuesday
Both Sides Firm.

WASHINGTON. Oct. IS There
seemed little hope tonight of averting
the strike of half a million bituminous
coal miners, called for November 1.
After series of conferences with
labor leaders here and telephone talks
with others in the central coal terri
tory John L. Lewis. president of the
United Mine Workers OF America, an
nounced that the miners would go out
unless all demands. including the five
day week, We're granted.
The operators, standing by their de-
cision not to consider any proposal
looking to a shorter weekly schedule,
and refusing to open negotiations un-
less the strike order was withdrawn,
charged that the miners were trying
to freeze the country into submission
by insisting upon acceptance of i'm
possible demands"
THE strike will not be called off"
Lewis declared
I'VE will not arbitrate while the
strike order stands" says Thomas T.
Brewster. chairman of the operators
scale committee.
stock for Thirty Days, Nov. 1.
Meanwhile pressure was being brought
to bear on both sides from many quar-
ters to adjust their differences and save
untold distress. Taking mental stock,
Lewis said there would be enough coal
on hand November l to keep the coun-
try warm thirty days.
Secretary of Labor Wilson, at whose
invitation the scale committees of the
miners and operators will meet with him
here Tuesday, declined to comment on
the negotiations, and continued to hope
that he would be able to bring about
peace. Official Washington held to the
view. however. that the strike was in
evitable. The meeting will be behind
closed doors.
In statement tonight President
Lewis said recent report by the Fed
eral Trade Commission. revealed that
never before in the history of the min
ing industry have the operators been
making such astounding profits upon
coal produced"
Discussing the war time agreement
Lewis said
The claim of the operators that the
miners are guilty of reputation OF con-
tract is totally unfounded and has no
basis in fact. The Washington wage
agreement read that IL was TO continue
in force and effect until the ending of
the war or until March 81, 1920 In
substance and form the war has ended
The mine workers have no contract. The
contract expired upon the 1lth day of
November, 1918, when hostilities ceased.
III order to give TIE country and the
mining industry an opportunity for re-
adjustment the mine workers have
worked for an additional year for the
same wages, merely by common consent
We now seek to negotiate a new agree
ment to become effective November /.
Ample notice has been given the oper-
ators of our intentions in this respect.
but they have steadfastly refused to take
any action that might interfere with
| their profits, The miners have had no
! Increase in wages for more than two
years"
Scores Actions of Workers.
In a statement to-day denying charges
: by the United Mine Workers that the op-
| orators 'are taking advantage Of the
present acute situation to profiteer,"
| Thomas T. Brewster, chairman OF the
| operators association, declared the
! miners were trying to divert public at
tention from the perilous situation which
has been deliberately brought about by
! them"
"rhe real ISSUE" Brewster said. "is
I the reputation by the miners recent
convention of an existing wage contract,
| their order to close down November l
/ not bnly all the mines and consequently
! all the other industries of the country
| but TO do their best to freeze the people
! into submission unless their impossible
demands. including a thirty hour week
and a wage advance of go per cent. over
a present generous war time wage scale,
are INSTANTLY granted"