Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-12-21
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WASHINGTON Dec. 20.--Presdent
Wilson's plans for settlement OF the
coal situation growing out of the
strike. advanced today with appoint
ment of the commission to investigate
wages and working conditions and
announcement that if a readiustment
of powers is deemed necessary, the
commission will be cloaked with the
former powers Of the fuel admins
The commission members are Henry
NJ Robinson of Pasadena, Calif.:
John 7. White and Rembrandt Peale.
all prominent In war work for the
with the shipping board and Mr..
White and Mr.. Peae were advisers to
Fuel Administrator Garfield.
The president said that on accept
call an early meeting of the commits
sion to meet in Washington.
The text of the presidents letter
to Mr.. Robinson Identical with those
sent to Mr.. White and Mr.. Peale, fol-
Text of Letter.
NV dear Mr.. Robinson: On Octo-
ber. g. 1917. with the official approval
and sanction of the United States fuel
known as tho 'Washington % wass
agreenent.O was entered into be-
tween the operators and the union
miners and mine workers of the So
called central competitive bituminous
PENNSYLVANIA. Ohio. Indiana and IL
linois which provided for an increase
In the production of bitumious coal
and an increase in wages to the
miners and mine workers from the
then existing scale of compensation.
THE agreement contained the fol-
lowing clause:
Subject to the next biennial con-
vention of the United Mine Workers
of America. the mine workers repre-
sentatives agree that the present con-
tract be extended during the contin-
uation of the war and not to exceed
two wears from April 1. 1918.
subsequently. on January 10, 1918.
this agreement was approved by the
convention of the international union
United Mine Workers of America.
What Miners Demand.
"At the fourth biennial convention
of the international union. United
Mine Workers of America. held in
Cleveland. o.. from September to
September 23 1919. the so-called
scale committee submitted a report
recommending. among other things.
that the convention demand a so per
cent increase applicable to all classi-
fications of dav labor and to all tom
mage. yardage and dead work rates
field: that all new wage agreements
replacing existing. agreements should
be based on a six-hour work day from
bank to bank. five days per week. tho
abolition Of all automatic penalty
bituminous field should be declared to
expire on November I, 1919. and that
in the event satisfactory wage
agreement Is not secured for the cen-
trail connective field before Novem-
Der /. 1919 to replace the one now in
effect the international Officers be
authorized to-. and are hereby In
structed to call a general strike of all
miners bn ued and mine sets workers tbs
same TO become effective November
/. 1919.
held between representatives of the
the miners demands were submitted
and declined on the part of the oper-
ators. The Officers of the interna-
tional union. United Mine WORKERS, OF
orders to all their local unions and
members, recurring them to cease
work in the mining of bituminous
coal at midnight on Friday October
81.
What Department Did.
"On October Is. 1919. the secretary
Of labor called conference between
the operators and miners of the btu
minous mines in the central compete
tive field, which conference also re-
6utitu III ldlluEt 10 TtdGH All dkIttN
ment. In letter to Secretary Wilson,
which was submitted to the confer
ence, said:
e" IF for any reason the miners and
operators fail to come TO a mutual un-
derstanding, the interests of the public
are of such vital Importance in cons
nection with the production of coal,
that 1t is incumbent upon them to
refer the matter In dispute to a board
of arbitration for determination and
to continue the operation of the mines
pending the decision Of the board
subsequently. on October 25, 1919,
] issued statement in which I said
that strike in the circumstances
therein described is not only unjusti-
fable, it is unlawful, and added:
l express no opinion on the mer-
its of the controversy l have already
may be reached and l hold myself in
readiness, at the request of either or
both sides, to appoint at once a tri-
bunal to investigate all the facts with
q view to aiding In the earliest possi-
BILE orderly settlement of the questions
and the coal miners to the end that
the Just rights. not only of those in
terests but also of the general public
may be fully protected.
ProDOsafs Rejected.
!, Despite my earnest appeals that
of the United Mine Workers Of Amer
lea rejected all the proposals for o.
peaceful and orderly settlement and
declared that the strike would go on.
Accordingly. at. my direction, the at
torney general filed a bill in
court at indianapolis. praying for an
Injunction to restrain the officers of
the UpHed Nine Workers Of America
(Continued an Pare TWol