The Washington herald., 1919-12-02
Palmer Condemns Sugges-
ton to Reopen Nego-
tiations.
LIMIT THE USE OF COAL
Garfield Curtails Distribu-
ton Until Conditions
Change.

The government proposes to fight
out the coal strike with the miners
IL IL takes all winter.
Evidence that this is the situation
at the beginning Of the second month
Of the strike is given by a state
ment issued by Attorney General
Palmer standing for no compromise
with the miners. and an order is
sued by United States Fuel Admin
istrator Garfield further restricting
the distribution of coal
Attorney General Palmer's state
ment condemned a suggestion that
negotiations be reopened between the
miners and the operators on the
I ground that TO do SO would be futile
and delay rather than advance pro-
| duction. He says the miners should
return to work and avail themselves
Of the Consultative board" proposed
by the government to carry on wage
claims.
Attorney General Palmer expressed
confidence tina: with coal production
now at about 20 per cent OF normal,
enough men would return to work 20
| save the situation. He made this
appeal:
Seeks support of Public.
The situation calls for the stead
fast support by the public of the
governments position as announced
by Garfield. The public should re-
ftnSa IN 10 e. H..
lack Of fuel into concessions which
will insure unreasonably high prices
in all commodities for at least three
years to come"
Fuel Administrator Garfeld's new
order declares that Il is necessary
that coal be used only for essential
purposes. Until conditions change
the distribution of coal will be linn
| tied to the first five classes Of the
priority list which governs the
United States Railroad Administra
ton in handling coal.
The first five classes cover railroads $
and inland and coastwisa Waterway.
army ane navy and other govern
| ment departments; State, county and
municipal governments: public utili-
, ties. and retail dealers.
Efforts by radicals of the miners'
union in Scranton. Pa. to have a
| sympathetic strike declared in the an
thracite fields proved unsuccessful
yesterday. Union leaders. informed OF
the intended movement. urged the
1 men fulfill the contract. which ex-
! pires next April. and to remember
/ their family needs for Christmas.
No Miners Return In District.
Practically no miners returned to
work yesterday in st. Louis, No. in
the Southern Illinois bituminous coal
/ fields in response to the offered II
per cent wage advance. according to
! advices received here. The coal short
. age is acute.
Volunteer coal diggers worked yes
/ terday in the Crawford County.
Z Kans.. fields. Governor Allen said
coal will probably start moving by
today. The derailment by strikers
! of a special train bearing volun.
teer workers and State troops. near
lola Kans., delayed to some extent
the diggers' work, but the delay was
temporary.
The coal miners will accept moth
ing less than the 81 per cent raist
offered by Secretary Wilson" was
the declaration of John L. Levi:
at Springfield. III. yesterday.
No interference will be tolerated
by the government Of Judge Ander-
sons injunction against interference
with coal production. II was declared
at indianapolis.
Coal oeprators here received re-
ports yesterday that there had beer
a falling OF in the number Of miners
at work in the fields of Northern
Maryland and Northern West Ntr-
ginia Outside of these helos. there
has been no change, according u
the operators.