The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-26
Garfield Says New Scale Should
Equalize III. C. L. tor Miners.
Operators Say Twenty Per Cent
Hike More Than Does 1t.
FUEL PRODUCTION NOW as PCT.
Conference of Operators and
Miners Idly Awaits Action.
Only Few Miners of Country
Are Returning to Work.

Washington, Nov. pa definite
and final staten cnt on behalf of the
government in the coal wage contro-
versy will be made to the operators
and miners late today by Fuel Admin
istrator Garfield.
Final decision was reached by the
cabinet at the meeting today. Doctor
Garfield and Secretary Wilson said.
The fuel administrator called a joint
session of the operators and miners
for p. m. to receive the decision.
President Wilso- s cabinet resumed
consideration of the coal strike today,
hopeful of an carly solution that viii
send 100000 men back to the mines
and relieve a coar shortage now coun-
try wide.
Attorney General Palmer ON enter
ing the meeting said he did not expect
repetition of yesterdays extended
sessions when the cabinet was unable
to agree on what increase would be
necessary to equalize wages of miners
and living cost.
Just give us a little more time"
Palmer said.
Altho Garfield and cabinet members
what the statement would contain.
1t was believed Secretary Wilson's pro-
posal to grant the miners 81 per
cent wage increase was not sustained.
1t was regarded as unlikely that the
| statement will contain any recon-
mendation as to a specific increase.
but will set forth a declaration OF
broad principles in such a manner 3
TO intimate what the government be-
heves a fair increase to be.
There was a somewhat general i'm
preston that the operators would be
called upon to bear practically all of
the proposed wage increase, but of
ficials withheld comment.
! Thus far the position. of the mine
union officials has been that they
, could not accept any thing less than
ithe original demands OF the CIevcia nd
! convention for a GO per cent increase
Z In wages and a thfrty-h hour week with
out the approval OF that convention.
Should they hold to this view after
meeting Doctor Garfield said 1t might
be that several weeks would elapse
! before a final settlement was reached
A compromise means a wage in
| crease of 25 per cent for the miners
For the public IL means an advance OF
SO cents a ton on the price of coal.
| unless the operators are willing TO
share part of the increase, it was
estimated.
John Lewis. president of the United
Mine Workers, declared the miners
would accept nothing less than the 81
per cent increase proposed by Secre-
tary Wilson of the labor depa rtmeut.
Miners are not entitled TO more
than 20 per cent raise to make their
scales conform to the increa sed cost
of living, according to Thomas T
Brewster. president of the operators
, association.
To Equallzc II. c. l..
according to Fuel Administrators
Garfield. the increase now given
should be the difference between the
increased cost of living since 1913 and
the percentage of wage increase given
the miners between 1913 and October
20, 1917. when the last wage raises
were granted.
Altho Garfield has not said so. he
has indicated this increase is far less
than the 81 per cent proposed by Sec-
retary Wilson
Garfield. assisted by Attorney Gem
eral Palmer. fought the cabinet into a
deadlock on this question at two ses-
! sions yesterday.
Meanwhile, the joint conference of
miners and operators awaited the ca b.
met action
That prompt action is imperative to
save the country from industrial stag
nation is made clear by the official
] statement of the railroad administers
ton which announced less than as per
cent of the needed coal tonnage is be-
ing mined Non-union miners ara
getting out this tonnage with the as
sistance of some union miners who re-
! turned to work upon receipt of the
strike resembling order Issued by
Lewis.
Production About Half
: Factories in some sections now are
closed for lack of fuel. Reserve stocks
which the railroad administration
built up are rapidly being depleted
Production in West Virginia today
held up to the standard maintained
since the strike went into effect with.
smaller quantities added from the
! Wyoming and New Mexico mines. In
Texas a few miners who had returned
to work today were out on a second
strike. In the central west the coming
of cold weather, forecast for today.
was expected to add to the discomfort
which had been held in allegiance by
mild temperatures during the past sew
eral days. In that section many cities
, and towns were virtually without fuel.
l. BunkeriEg permits were granted
yesterday ky the. director Of the Alle-
gheny region for foreign vessels. per-
mftting t,sem enough coal to reach first
/ coal'rg station en- route TO their destl-
| ma lions. Authority also was granted
/ for supplying limited quantities of coal
| to n,aaufarturn~ plants of that region.
/ At Sheridan, Wye. six miners today
J were under errest CHARGED WI n violst-
4 ing the strife Injunction issued by
! Federal Ind~e a. B.. Anderson at
: Indie ne noIfs. T-Hry we're believed to
re the rs4 workers. to he taken into
@,,rtody i,rd1r t'-.t rertraininR order.
s.crsrn Gives X o. 20 Cbristinno