The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-12-04
u, S. EFFORTS TO
END STRIKE FAIL
Offer of Ia Per Cent Increase
FlatIy Rejected by the
Miners.
FARLEY ANIDURNS Sine Die
Operators Agree to Accept the Govern
ments Proposal as a 6asis for a
Settlement-Lewis Claims IN
Justice Done the Miners.

Washington, Nov. 2S.-The govern
ments offer of Ii per cent increase
OF wages was tatly rejected by the
coal miners.
As a result the conference between
the miners and operators adjourned
sine die with the settlement OF the
wage con roversy still lin the air. No
provision was made TOR the resumption
of the conference, the miners declar-
ing that they were going home and
sit tight"
The miners rejection came after The
operators had accepted the govern
meut's proposal as Il basis for a set
Element although they declared that
the increase without raising the price
of coal to the public would mean the
loss of profits 10 ii large number of
mines and would seriously interfere
with production.
After the rejection the operators
rendered compromise offering to sub
init the enure dispute to Il board of
ar&tutiou. lhis also was refused by
the miners and the conference look an
adjouument.
Statement by Lewis.
The following statement was dictat-
ed by Acting President John l.. Lewis
of the United Mine Workers:
The miners and operators joint
conference adjourned Sine die. The
mine workers representatives declined
TO recommend to the miners any ac-
ccptancc of the II per cent increase
offered
"Ihc operators pretended to be will
Ing To grant this If per cent increase,
but in the sans breath stated that they
would be unable to operate large
number of their mines unless they had
am increase in the selling PRICE of coal.
1t would be foolish for us TO attempt
to make any agreement with the OPP
orators unless their mines were to be
operated.
The position of the mine workers
is unchanged. We hold that the Uni
ted States government cannot break
its word The pledge given by Secre-
tary of Labor Wilson to grant 3l.G
per cent increase in wages must be re-
deemed
"In my judgment Doctor Garfield
and the cabinet have committed the
most colossal bunder in the industrial
history of our nation. They are blind
ly following an academic theory with
out regard TO justice to the mine work
erS or the effects of such theory upon
the people of the country.
Says Justice Is Denied.
1.-THE responsibility for the crisis now
confronting the nation must lie upon
those statesmen who are using the
powers of the government to oppress
and deny justice to the great element
of citizenship directly concerned in the
mining industry.
81 cannot believe that the people of
our country will ndorse policy of
OPPRESSION and repression which
means continued Industrial chaos. and
intense suffering on the part of the
mine workers ana our entire citizen
ship"
The letter sent to Doctor Garfield
hy the operators Of the central com
petitivc coal field accepting the Nv
ernments offer, reads:
"Recognizns the seriousness of the
present crisis and the urgent need of
the country for coal, we wish to advise
800, ,Ln+ erI Mot tn tottr anpr,,o1 n nj
conditioned upon the mines reSuming
operations Immediately. the operators
scale committee of the central com
petitive coal field accept, as a basis
for the settlement of the present wage
controversy aud termination of tha
strike. the figures submitted by you
10 the Joint meeting Of operators and
miners held Yesterday evening, name
w. an average increase of II per cent
70 be granted to all classes of mine la
Dor. such increase to be apportioned in
accordance with the wage bases that
are acceptable to the employees and
| employers thus preserving present
| differentalS. Otherwise than as above,
modified in complete accordance with
your proposal, the present contract in
all its term and conditions to be con
tinued in full force and effect until
March 81, 1922,
1--WE have already notified the miners
| to this effect
Says Profits Eliminated.
at the same time we wish to call
your attention to the fact that the ac-
ceptancc of this increase In wages
without any increase In selling prices
entirely eliminates the profits of n
large number Of mines. Such a large