New-York tribune., 1919-11-29
i. S. Warns
Mines Must
Be Operated
Continued from page I

negotiation fighting. went home to-
night. worn out by the long wrangle.
Before leaving for Indianapolis Lewis
saw Secretary of Labor Wilson and
Sampel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor
Lewis did not have much to say
about the situation and explained he
had arranged with Gompers to have
the Federation's lawyers assist counsel
peal from the ruling of Federal Judge
Anderson ordering the coal strike or
der cancelled
In labor and official circles the meet
ing of Lewis and Gompers was regard
ed as significant, but there was no
statement concerning questions dis
cussed except Lewis's reference to
seeking counsel aid. After leaving
Secretary Wilson's Office Lewis said
DIR. Garfield represents the govern
ment. Mr.. Wilson told me that to-day."
Fourteen Per Cent Offer Final
This was taken by Lewis to mean
that the Ia per cent wage offer was.
definitely and tirNlly the governments
offer, and that Mr.. Wilson'S proposal
for 81 per cent advance had been
rejected by the Cabinet. SO far as OBJ
tanning help for his union, Lewis real
might expect.
After his conference with Mr.. Lewis
and William Green, secretary of the
miners union, Samuel Gompers made
this statements:
"Mr. Lewis and Mr.. Green came to
see me this afternoon. 1t was the first
time they had seen ne since the last
few days in October. They related to
me the situation as it had developed
IN the coal miners strike, the condi-
tions leading up thereto, the injunction
proceedings, the conferences held with
resentatlves of the government and
the conferences with the operators
Satisfied With 81 Per Cent
They stated that. Notwithstanding
the stand of the miners for a so per
cent increase, they were willing to
assume responsibility for recommend :
ing acceptance of the offer made by
Secretary of Labor Wilson for a 81
per cent increase. They were fully i'm
pressed with the thought that Secre-
tary Wilson was empowered BY the
government to make this award and ac-
cepted it with that understanding.
Ihey believed that the miners would
have accepted it and have returned to
work. They were then confronted with
the fact that Secretary Wilson had
been overturned and instead of the 81
per cent Dr.. Garfield's offer of ia per
cent was made. This they could not
of themselves accept. and they ex-
pressed the belief that the miners
would not be satisfied and would not
return to work on such basis.
"A discussion arose regarding an
appeal to the higher courts which the
miners were preparing in the injunc-
ton case 1t was decided that attor-
neys would come to Washington at an
early date TO consult with Attorney
Jackson II. Raston and me on this
subject"
The operators wage scale committee
will meet here again next Wednesday
to agree upon the details necessary to
preserve existing differentials in put
ting a IA per cent wage advance into
effect
The telegram urging all operators to
post notices offering Ia per cent in
crease at once was sent by committee
composed Of T. w. Guthrie, A. NJ. Ogle,
Thomas K. Maher and E. C. Searles,
sent the central competitive field. 1t
was sent after consulting with DR.. Gar
field.
Notice Sent to Operators
"Your committee recommends and
post notices at once of the advance in
wages" the message read. "Your com
mttee advises that details of scale will
be figured out and agreed TO at meet
ing of scale committee here next
I Wednesday, in order to preserve proper
ditferentials. For that reason details
should not be included in notice. Tn
derstandings between employers and
employees at mines which have been
working will govern date on which
increase is effective at those mines
Following is form of notice to be used
at mines now on strike:
"'The government of the United
States having decided that mine work
ers are entitled to IA per cent aver
age increase to bring wages up to the
increased cost of living, this compan!
gives notice that ii per cent average
| increase in wages is hereby granted