The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1919-12-05
BASE MINERS PAY
en- LIVING COSTS
Garfield Announces Five Prin-
eiples Which Opposing Inter-
ests Interpret Differently
BURDEN Or PAY ADVANCE.
r4Irts :: Increased .ss. in Principles
f3r Gazing STRIKE - Psciic viii
Pay higher Pre-. only II ln-
rrezs. is Justified

washington - Government c41z5afs
took q l01z step toward solution q
the rel s--ike problem 5Et let- tie
matter SIN op@1 for negotiations.
Following the conference he'd ~ I'r.
Il 4 Garfield with walker .. Z nes.
director general - railroads; a Mitch
81 Palmer. attorney general, a1d
Judge 9. 2 ANS, assistant attorney
general. Z statement q general p-5Ee5-
Pies vas outlined fCr tie cons. Iteration
of both operators and miners
FolloEing are he I've principles Al
bounced By Or. Carried for cons de-a-
tioa u tie coal miners and operators !:
Flrs--The public NUS not bs asked
70 pay more than = = uo9 paying for
coal unless Il : necessary % % - %
order % provide rec sozsbie wages 70
The nine workers and reasonable
profit % the operators.
SeoeId-The Arrangement entered
into between the operators. tie mine
workers and the Fuel AdEn.nisfra tion.
v-ith the sanction Of The President Of
the United States in October, 1917.
vas intended 70 egualize the wages D.
all classes Of mine workers and % be
sufficient 70 cover the pe-.od q the
var, b1t not beygnd March g. 1870:
hence, lie only increase in cost Of
living which ran Low be considered IS
the increase above that provided for By
the average Increase il 1917; that IS
- zw n
pay over the 1913 base. which was The
base considered IN 1917. should Tot tx
coed the present average increase Il
the cost q living over the same base.
Il is also 10 b. considered that the
cost Of living viii fall rather than rise
during the next few years.
Th.rd-The maximum prices fixed
By the government On c0aI we're caIea-
lated 70 increase production Of coal for
war purpose. Coal was basic and the
government ordered that the public
ought not 20 be asked 70 pay and vii
not He@ pay the increase over nor
nal profits then allowed for the pur-
pose u stimulating production
Fourth.-Any Increases in wages
now arrived a. Oh tie basis u The fore
going principles should be borne By the
operators or the public, or both, as
may be determined By the application
Of these principles and should take ef-
feet as Of the date when the men re-
turn 70 work.
F.fth-The needs Of the United
States are not alone TO be considered.
Europe IS in desperate need Of coal and
should have all that We can spare
Soft coal mine owners made shock
Ing and indefenslble" profits in 1917,
and there is grave doubt" that they
are entitled TO increased profits be-
cause Of the proposed 81 per cent in
crease In miners wages, William 9.
NcAdoo. former secretary Of the treas
ury. declared in telegram from New
York 70 Federal Fuel Administrator
Garfield. The owners profits as shown
by their income tax returns, examined
by him as secretary OF the treasury In
1913 he said. showed earnings on capt.
raj stock ranging from Is to 2OO0 per
cent.
Il am convinced that the wage ID
creases proposed for the mine workers
are reasonable" he stated.
Before deduction Of excess profits
taxes-which we're less in 1917 than
now-these income tax returns showed
that earnings Of 100 70 300 per cent on
capital stock were not uncommon"
Mr.. McAdOo's telegram asserted.
Referring TO the bituminous mine
owners income tax returns for 1913,
which he said he had not seen, the tele-
gram said:
IF they disclose any such profit as
earned by the bituminous coal opera
tors In 1917 It would be a grave wrong
TO permit the operators TO take from
the public additional profits In the
form Of Increased prices for bituminOus
coal"
Mr. McAdoo urged that no increase
in prices Of coal 70 consumers be al
lowed.