The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-11-22
WILSON WOULD
!. GRANT 31PR.CT
PRESENTS PROPOSAL
TO COAL CONFERENCES
Miners Submit New Offers For
40 Percent Advance and
7-Hour Day

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.-Secretary
of Labor Wilson stepped to the front
again tonight in an effort to bring
miners and operators together after a
proposal by each side had been re1ecteu
and the slate wiped clean.
Mr. Wilson is said to have formally
presented q definite proposal OF settle,
mcnt of wage disputes which ~ouIo
send bituminous miners back 10 Work
before the country was In the throes OF
coal famine, but the nature was NOT
disclosed il was generally believed ne
suggested a wage increase OF about 81
per cent.
Both sides united in asking him to
join the joint Sub-scale committees al,
ter the miners had definitely rejected
20 per cent wage advance ana tne
operators had finally refused to agree
to a counter-proposai from the workers
for 40 per cent increase a seven.h9ur
day. and six day week, with half holiday
on Saturday.
When the conference adjourned after
n six hour session. Thomas T. Brewster
chairman of the operators, declared ina,
their offer had been withdrawn anu
that the slate was now clean.
Making Progress.
Secretary Wilson said that progress
had been made and that he would meet
the subcommittee again tomorrow ar
ternoon.
Comparative data on increases in the
cost OF living and wage advances tc
miners since 1911. was submitted ny MI
Wilson, who declined TO make public ms
proposition. II was said that ne pro,
posed an increase Of approximately 8
per cent the difference between the
cost of living and wage Increase figures
announced by the secretary at the open
ing Of the conference last week.
An ultimatum served by the opera
tors that their offer represented the
maximum was reaffirmed tonight by
Mr.. brewster. who declared 1t could no,
be increased unless the government
SAYS we should do It,"
Suggest Arbitration.
When the conference failed to agree
on either sides proposition the opera
tors suggested referring the dispute e
arbitration but the miners objected. Inc
operators proposed tribunal OF nlnt
members 70 be chosen in one of three
ways: Each side t pick four member:
and the eight To select the umpire; eacI
side TO name four and the President o.
the United States the ninth, or eacl
side TO name three and the other three
to be chosen by the President:
The counter-proposttion from tht
miners. scaling down their earlier De
mands was submitted by John L. Lewis
Workers, after he had conferred VIII
Secretary Wilson. Mr.. Lewis stated thai
the new demand for n 40 per cent wage
advance for all sorts of work represent
cd the margin" between the wage In
creaccs received by the miners since
1914 and the jump taken by living costs
The mine workers also insisted tina
all local differences not covered by In
terstate agreement be referred BACK u
, the districts in which they originated
for settlement.
The offer Of the operators as FINAL!
rejected by the miners at to-day,s ses
sioa was sliShtly dEfeTc3k from TIL
stcf said. ; - operators Stood fas
on the amount Of wage INCREASE bu
. agreed to waa;e demands for othei
changes In the present contract. r.