Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-11-23
COAL OPERATORS :,
REJECT WILSON s .
PEACE PROPOSALS
Mine Owners Wiling to Leave
Matter in Governments
Hands, Unless Dr. Garfield
Can Solve the Problem,


Washington, Nov 22.-Refusing to
accept proposals made by Secretary
Wilson as a basis for further negotia-
tions soft coal operators of the CEN
tral competitive field rested their case
today with Fuel Administrator Gar
field, whose official approval is nee
essary to validate any new wage
agreement
The public would not stand for n
wage advance above their offer of
Is cents per ton to coal diggers, and
20 per cent to day laborers. the op-
orators asserted. They refused TO
make further overtures or even to re-
instate their proposition, which was
withdrawn following the deadlock
Friday, unless the government.
through the fuel administration. as
sumed responsibility for the added
burden to the nations fuel bill.
The operators are prepared to leave
the entire situation in the hands of
the government unless DR. Garfield
can find way out of the difficulty,
their spokesmen announced, No joint
meetings of the sub-scale committee
were held today.
No Action Until Tuesday.
Dr. Garfield notified the mine
committee, of which Thomas T.
Brewster is chairman. until after he
had consulted Monday with Attorney
General Palmer, Director General
Hines and Judge C. B. Ames. assist
ant attorney general 1t was consid-
cred likely that the negotiations might
have to so over until after the cabinet
meeting Tuesday when, ii was ex-
pected, a policy to get the mines back
into operation before the threatening
coal famine brings disaster, will be
worked out.
Operators representatives authoriz-
ed the statement that in their opin-
ion figures on which Secretary Wilson
based his proposals, showing living
costs in the coal region. were partt-
san, The secretary told the sub-scale
committee Friday that he did not
speak for the government, it was said
Offer Is Considered just.
DR.. Garfield is said to have told in
dividual operators that the offer
made by them is as large as present
justify.
John l.. Lewis, president Of the
United Mine Workers, tonight charged
the operators with "criminally delay
ing the negotiations through Con
spiracy" on the part of powerful in
terestsn including both mine owners
and others, WHO have been openly
opposing a settlement"
Following a two-hOuT session of the
miners, Mr.. Lewis announced that the
workers had accepted Secretary vii.
sons proposal. This proposition, sub
mitted last Friday, as made public
today by Mr.. Wilson, provided for an
increase in mining rates of 2712 cents
per ton, flat increase in day wages
of $1.5S, and an increase in yards and
dead work of 31.61 per cent Mr..
Lewis also announced that the miners
stood on their counter proposal for 4
seven hour day, a Saturday half holi-
day and reference of all internal dis
putes back to the districts in which
they originated for settlement
Some of the operators, including
of the scale committee of
the central competitive field, Mr..
Lewis said, have indicated a willing
ness to make separate treaty of
peace" without waiting for concerted
action. He said he had agreed to sign
separate contracts
Explains Wage Suggestion.
Explaining his suggested wage adj
vances, Secretary Wilson said he
based his calculations on an increase
of 1913 per cent in the cost of living
in three bituminous mining towns
since December, 1914. The increase
of 2712 cents per ton was arrived at
by averaging the balance needed TO
make the Pittsburgh and Hooking
Valley pick mining rates equivalent to
the increase in the cost of living, with
the margin on the same basis in tho
Danvile and Indiana fields.
Operators attacked Mr.. Wilson'S
figures on the ground that from 80
to 80 per cent of mining in the central
field is by machinery.
Calculated on n basis of machine
Mr.. Wilson's proposal would
mean a wage raise of 11S per cent.
they said. The secretarys suggestion
of 31,61 per cent increase in the day
wage would mean an increase over
~ 4 "a. ln..L. I'd Il