The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-05
FEDERATION. Of
LABOR MEN DENY

They Are Assisting the
Miners By Providing
cosn1nissaries and De-
cline to Make Comment
On the Contempt Pro-
ceedmgs
Washington, d. c.. Dec. Gov
crnment offlcials were awaiting today
the outcome Of the contempt OF cour-
proceedings against the coal miners OIL
acials which will be heard Tuesday In
Indianapolis At the department OF
Justice II was stated that judge G y,
Aneg who represented the govern
nent IN the injunction case would 80
10 Indianapolis TO make personal
charge Of the new proceedings.
The latest move of the government
b tn accord with the view expressed
w coal operators that If President
.cwis at the United Mine Workers
AN b compelled to issue an order
Erecting the miners to return 70
work. enough men will 60 back to
The mines TO bring production ur 10
sustaining point
American federation Of labor OF
iciais declined today to make any
Comment on the contempt proceedings.
seports that the American federation
II labor was assisting the miners by
providing commissariex were denied.
Il was stated thai the American
federation OF labor had no funds to
iistrib4 ; In this manner. The fede-
alton had collected fund for the
stsseI strike. but this money came
as a result Of an appeal sent out
. the workers OF the country. The
,sliy official act OF the federation Ia
regard TO the miners during the last
few weeks has been to direct its at.
,orney. jackson Ii. Ralsion to Coz
operate with tho miners attorney In
akins an appeal Ia the Injunction
PRODUCTION DROPS
Coal production yesterday for the
country as q whole was reported to
ne between ~ and ~ per cent Of nor
NAL This tn sovGrAi points below
he nnaxinium nxurs reached last
reak when the negotiations between
IN
Representative Keller. Of Minnesota.
gnsaependsnt Republican today intro
arsced a resolution declaring chat the
president take possession of the coal
a,inas and operate them
This il the third resolution calling
,or government operation OF the
mines that has been introduced since
he strike began Ut provides that
. work under the following agree
mont:
That the government operate the
mines: that the increase OF IA per
.ent offered the miners be accepted;
hat Thea government conduct
.horSugh investigation into The profits
Of the mine operators, with view
toward increasing the wages OF the
miners If found practicable under the
present price Of coal, and II not thai
.he government esta blisb such u
,rtce az viii permit OF a wage being
aid miners commensurate with the
rcrease in the cost Of living,
REPRESENTATIVE Thomas. of Ken
,ucky. Democrat, gaid today:
Tho fuel administration has fxed
The price OF bttuminous coal upon the
-ars x..4Sen ton II sells in large
quantities in Washington at $3.50 q
ON. So there is Ss.4s ton divided
orfween the railroads and retail deal
,rs compared TO s3.4S a ton going TO
The miners and the operators
Referring to the Injunction issued
* Judge Anderson. Representative
rniners. You shall not take out OF
our pockets and give to the coal
miner who Is out OF work any money
Is runport him. That II contempt
~ court
This congress- can. vote 10000
600 to send to Europe to support ard
feed the people who have been night
sng us and killing the boys Of Amer
lea but It says to the coal miner YOU
shah not donate a single five cent
piece 30 help feed women and chill
dren OF the men who are out OF
work
ASKS FAIR PLAT
IAN the miners are asking Is they
be treated fairly. A pick miner gets
altar he rays for his powder. his car
hide paper. his fuse and his black
rnith work, about 90 cent = ton on
he basis OF II and fraction cents. :"
The coal operators issued the fol-
lowing statemen tonight:
When the operators executive
Nn4 advised of the action taken by
Judge Anderson's court al Indinnapo-
liz In appointing a grand jury to In
vestigats charges of coilusion be-
tween operators and miners to re-
yfr1ct production or COAL the opera
snrs gnid most cmphatically that they
welcomed such an investigation and
u il should be developed that any
individual operators have been guilty
Of such practices, they hoped the
Judge would invoke the law to tho
lint. as such operators were not en-
titled to any sympathy from their as
sociates in tho coal industry
In = second statement the operators
said that there is no foundation for
reports that they have asked for a
reconsideration OF the amount Of In
crease to be granted tho miners and
are Recommending compromise to
he fuel administrator.
NO suchj request has been mado
md no such request will be made
aDw or a. any other time said the
statement THE operators stated
their position finally in letter to DR..
Garfield In which they would grant
the increase suggested by him.
Tho Central competitive scale COM
4n5ttee today sent a message tot all
districts in that field regarding the
new scale Of wages arranged in .ac-
eordance with the IA per cent in
crsase offered the mjnerA