Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-19
DR.. Garfield Makes
Declaration tonnage
Committee.
QUOTES IDEALS
TO BE OBSERVED
Administrator Says
Miner Is Entitled
to Living"

Scale committees of bituminous
miners and operators in The CEN
trail competitive field went into ex-
ecutive session today to negotiate
wage contract. after Federal
Fuel Administrator Garfield had
urged upon them the necessity for
adjusting their differences and pro-
ducing the coal the country needs.
Immediately after converting the
, operators and miners decided
to continue their negotiations
through n subcommittee of eight
from each side.
The people Of the United Stats
must have and will have coal. and as
! long as the government stands they
will not be prevented from getting
it. no matter what the operators and
miners may do.
Clothed with all his wartime pow
ers. DR.. Henry Garfield, fuel admin
istrator. made that declaration to the
members of the joint wage scale COM
nittee of the central competitive field
today when he described to them
some of the principles they must OBJ
serve in making working agree
meRt.
The operator is entitled to n rea-
sonable profit based upon investment
and cost of production. said DR.. Gar
field. He is not entitled to include in
cost of production his federal tax and
his excess profit tax. although tho
operator has claimed this should be
done.
The miner is entitled to safe work
ing conditions-so far as the nature
, OF the industry permits, the fuel ad-
ministrator continued. He is entitled
to a wage that will enable him to live
according to decent American
| standard. But this wage must b.
i'computed in relation to cost of 1iv-
! ing and not f~ed N re'a ION L $50 20
scales prevailing in other industries
| employing skilled workers.
! Dr. Garfield made this position clear
! in reply to questions submitted by
| John L. Lewis, acting president of the
United Mine Workers of America.
who said that steel workers. brick
, layers. carpenters. and the like, arc
paid 81 an hour and more in the
larger cities of the country.
Base Wage on Living Cost.
Mr.. Lewis asked the fuel admins
/ TRAITOR if the miner isn't entitled to
certain wage. enabling him to main
tain 4 certain standard of living no
matter whether the operator is or is
not making profit, is or is not being
faxed excessively by the government.
DR. Garfield agreed with the union
leader in effect, but he emphasized
that the decent living wage should be
based on cost of living and not based
on wage scales prevalent in other in
dustrieS.
The fuel administrator indicated in
his speech that he woul sit in judG-
ment on whatever agreement the opc-
rarorS and miners may reach. and de-
termine for the public in what parti-
culars it is equitable or inequlf3ble
70 the consumers of the country. He
said his administration has gathered
.rd digested large amount OF data
J ,ncerning the coal industry urging
he last two years and explained these
d,-a would be furnished the coal con-
ference for use in drawing up a wage
scale. These same data, he said. would
he used by him in determining what
wage advances, if any. agreed to by
the operators and miners could be
horne properly by the public.
Establishment of L permanent con-
ference. composed of a representative
of the operators, the miners ana inc
government. to adjudicate disputes fn
the coal industry was advocated pE
mr. Garfield, who expressed regret
lont- time in continuous operation.
Summary of Workers Demands.
Eo,,owiny is a summary of the de-
mands made by the United Nine
Workers. 1t was furnished by Mr..
Lewis: o.,.
That there be a 60fo increase
upon all claSSificaticns OF day Ia
bnr tonnage. yardaSe and dead
hn a
field.
. That six-nour day. five
DAYS per week. be established
3. That all day labor be paid
time and a half for overtime ana
double time for Sundays and holt-t
days. -.
l. That pay days shall! be upon,
a weekly basis.
3. That double shift work on
coal for commercial tonnage be
abolished.
6. That the automatic penalty
clause be abolished.
I That all internal differences
not covered by joint Interstate
agreement shall be referred back
to the respective districts for ad-
jfstment.
5. That any contract negotiated
ID. effective from and after No.
vember l. 1919. and run for
period of two years from that date.
Thomas L. fTeWSteI, "
the operators groups. said he couio
not state the counter proposal eN-
uected to be submitted to the miners
until after the operators had dis
cussed Dr. Garfield's speech.
II represent the people of the United
states in a different sense from the
Secretary of Labor" DR.. Garfield said.
1T is part of Mr.. Wilson's function to
effect Cancellation. 1t is my sole func-
ton to exercise those powers conferred
on the fuel administration: to see that
an adequate supply of coal is furnish
ed the people of the United States and
to see that in times of stress such a.
we are still unhappily in the midst
of the prices asked and received fo-
coal are not excessive"
Public Partner in Coal Industry.
I'VE all realize now that in the
great coal industry the public is an
important partner. At one time the
operators and mine workers. like
farmers. considered themselves pc
culiarIy independent. But the public
has a paramount interest.
The people of the United States
will not consent to pay an excessive
price for coal. We are all agreed to
that, but the question now is. What
is an excessive price, Nor will the
public agree to go without this COM
modify.
The people of the United Stats