New-York tribune., 1919-11-21
Reject
Offer of 2O%
Raise in Pay
Operators Proposal Joke"
Says Lewis, Union Chief:
Asks Larger Increases;
Coal Situation Brighter
Ms~. York Tribune

WASHINGTON. Nov. 20. Another
day Of conferences between bitum nous
coal operators and miners failed to
bring about an agreement, but it is
believed here tonight that an early
sett!ement is possible. To-day the
Operators made their first concrete
proposa1 Offering an increase in wages
and although it was lightly received
there were signs that the miners were
preparing to make concessions IA the
matter of hours
The operators proposed TO give the
miners an increase of Is cents per
ton and 20 per cent increase TO mon
working by the day, both to be effective
for two years after the nresent con
tract expires Aorn ] 1920 Nothing
was said about shortening the hours
per day or cutting the rumber Of W rk
ing days each week. which have been
part of The m ner dem nds ev + -iuce
the controversy began months ago.
1--WE took the proposal as a Joke"
said John l.. Lowis, acting president of
the United Mine We kers tonight
1--WE did not look upon il seri )usly I'D
did not believ" IT was meant to be
taken seriously.'
Miners Want Larger Increase
The miners are insistent both upon
larger percentage Of increase IN
wages and upon a shorter working dav.
1t was believed here tom .ht tnat an
adjustment which would give the
miners % per cent wage increase. an
elghthou day bank to ba with
possibly a half ho iday on Saturday.
would prove the ultimate solution. Air.
Lewis and the other officers of the
United Mine Workers have their own
people TO face when he outcome is an
. AID do not propose TO yield
any point they feel they can gam #
.ney suck out longer.
Vi orators dec aled that their pro
posal OF today was the limit" but
/. /. Brew ter, chairman of the asso-
clation of the central competitive fields,
VINO IS presiding at the conferences
said tonight that he mac no4 a.Au-
dcned hope OF u settlement since. after
"a king the proposal over all afternoon,
the m ners moved the adjournment un-
til tomorrow.
There were reports to-day that Sec
retary Wilson has suggested to some
OF the operators that the lncrease e must
be at least 40 per cent, but this the
-perators refused to confirm
Supplies to Cost More
The miners argued in the second ses.
sion to-day that the operators, after
making their proposals Tor an increa e
! announced a.so that in case it were
granted the miners would be required
to pay increased charges on powuer 10.
gen and for other items. The oper-
ators pointed out that these are com
para .ively small items, and that pow
! der has been sold to the miners below
cot for several years, and that now
the operators desire only TO charge its
actual cost.
There was no indication to-day tha
the government has any fu- sher m owes
to make to hurry a so ution, although
the seriousness of the situat on is evi
dent increasing each day, with a Gu
from normal coal production OF abou
1000, 900 tons. The Cabinet probabl,
Will meet tomorrow, and if no agree
ment is then in sight further plans 70
government action will be discussed.
The operators tonight made publ;
figures showing that the increase the,
offered o-day would mean an increas,
in the cost of coal of $175,0QO 900
year. based on production of 500 900
600 tons. TAey declined to say whethe
this increase would be passed on to tn
consumer. They produced figures 70
the earnings OF miners in d feren
fields showing the large increases il
the last five years,