The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-29
COAL MINERS
CONFERENC Gle
CONTINUED from page H.

l -
ment under which the miners are now
working. Operators say this agree
ment will not expire until the end OF
the war or not before April i. 1871
Miners say ii has expired now.
/ Significance was attached to Gar
fields coming here in light of the fact
that President Wilson'S cabinet has
determined to employ provisions OF
the Lever food and fuel act, II neces''
lsary to prevent stoppage OF the coal
production. This act. under when
the fuel administration was created
would allow the government 10 selze
mines and to move against persons
/ responsible for halting production OF
necessities. -
The cabinet meeting yesterday dis.
cussed this along with other phases OF
the industrial situation.
Railroads are Awaiting.
! WASHINGTON, Oct. 29.-Ihe ralf
road administration is waiting to see
whether the threatened soft coal
strike will be settled, Brice Claggett,
assistant to Rail Director Hines, SAID
/ today in denying that the railroad
administration had ordered the seiz-
ure of coal in transit.
| CIaggett also denied that Hines au-
| thorized Regional Director Hale Hold
+ en- to confiscate Ignite coal in transit
in Colorado.
| Governor Serves Notice.
| TACOMA, Wash, Oct. Mem.
bers of the United Mine WORKERS OF
Washington state were served WIN
notice today by Governor Hart tna'
the state will not tolerate any az
| tempt to starve and freeze the go"
eminent into submission.
| Session Starts at 1885.
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 29.-The
meeting started at 1885. 1t was an
Executive session. Several uhion
chiefs were unable to reach the city
before the meeting started, but were
iexpected later.
/ There was no indication OF now
jlong it might take to reach an agree
ment on the answer to the president.
Several other questions in connection
with the strike were to be taken up
and it was probable that the session
would extend until late today.
/ The Six Hour Day.
| INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Oct. %
The proposed six hour day for sort
coal miners would mean increased
rather than decreased production,
according to Ellis Searies, editor OF
| The Mine Workers journal, ohclal
organ of the United Mine Workers.
Searles, in an interview, based this
assertion on the premise that
shorter day would be more equltably
distributed in employment and SIX
hours in a mine under present con-
dition Is all man can stand and re-
tain his efficiency.
In the opinion OF Searles the
miners were never more firmly de-
Itermined to obtain what they believe
they are entitled to in the way OF
wages and working conditions.
He expressed the belief that a
referendum would show ninety per-
cent of the men are in favor of the
strike, set for Saturday.
Searles said that the soft coal |
miners have earned during the last |
year an average of only 500 to $500 |
each.
He pointed out that IN 1913 the
miners produced 6S5.0oo tons OF coal,
an increase over the previous year |
despite the fact eighty thousand were |
in military service.
THE operators have boosted the |
price OF coal to the public in order |
to reap huge profits, but they refuse |
to grant the miners an increase" he |
said. "a strike under these condi- |
lions can have but one result-jus-
tice must win"