Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-11-21
CAP SEPARATING
NINE OWNE Rs AND
MINERS lessons
Washington Is of the Opinion
That the Prospects for Set
ting the Coal Controversy
Are Growing Brighter,


Washington, Nov. 20.--Though oper-
ators and miners of central competi-
tive fields remained hard locked all day
today in the negotiations for a new
wage scale contract, prospects for an
agreement that would settle the coal
strike were considered brighter to-
night than at any time since the strike
was called.
The operators offered to the min
ers' representatives a flat increase OF
Is cents a ton on all coal mined, and
20 per cent increase for day workers.
John l.. Lewis, acting president of the
United Mine Workers of America, out
wardly stamped the concession as
wholly inadequate, but both sides
plainly took the offer as a breaking
of the ice and an opening for trading
tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the government contin-
ued to hold hands off, and Fuel Ad-
ministrator Garfield took no steps
openly to ration or restrict coal con-
sumption.
President Lewis of the miners, after
the close of the session, said he con-
sidered that the operators proposal
had contributed nothing to the set
tlement of the difficulties, but at the
same time indicated that the miners
were preparing to come down a de-
gree in their demands for a six-hour
day and a so per cent increase.
Increase Has a String to 1t.
''rhe operators are proposing some
thing they know cannot be accepted"
he said. "The increase they would give
they simultaneously arrange to take
back in increased charges to miners
fnr FrI L.,
talked the question of hours at all We
have many of our men who work nine
and ten hours a day under present
conditions, because the present eight
hour day in many mines is merely a
basic theory, and not an actual fact"
Thomas T. Brewster, chairman of
the OPERATOR scale committee, re-
fused to discuss the proceedings but
the compromise offer made by the
operators was outlined more fully by
his associates.
The proposed wage advances are the
absolute maximum to be offered, w.
I. Guthrie, member of the operators
wage scale committee, representing
western Pennsylvania, and George b.
Harrington Of Illinois, spokesman for
the operators said tonight,
May Mean Mediation.
Failure on the part of the miners to
accept the proposition would mean
mediation hy the government, Guth-
lie st,fd
They estimated that the price of
coal at the time it leaves the mine
would be increased from 80 to 40 cents
per ton as the result of the offered adj
vance, but declined to speculate as to
how much might be added by middle
men before the coal reached the con-
The position taken by the operators
was that their offer
was strictly in line with the state
ments of Secretary of Labor Wilson
and Fuel Administrator Garfield. DIR.
Garfield's data. submitted to the
wage scale committee on Wednesday,
hey said, showed there was little
profit left to the operators in the
margin of 46 cents on each ton of
coal mined.
Commenting on the fact that the
operators offered no change in work
ng hours, Mr., Lewis declared that |
Wilson, during negotiations
lere in october, had offered the min |
'rs an eight-hour day. counted from !
he time the miner enters the mine |
Until he leaves and that cit was a |
inch we will accept nothing else" An |
,ight-hour day, from bank to bank"
le said, would be equivalent to seven |
hours of actual work in the mines.