The sun., 1919-10-23
SECRETARY WILSON
OFFERS MINE TRUCE
Proposes to Raise Wages "In
Amount Equal to Living
Cost Increases"
CERTAIN TO BE REJECTED
Both Sides Will Make Formal
Answer TO-day-"Present
Contract" q Snag.

wAsu1SeToN, Oct. 22.-While commit
tees representing miners and operators,
meeting in q FINAL effort to avert the
strike of half a million soft coal miners
set for November 7, were on the verge
tonight of parting company. for good.
Secretary of Labor Wilson held them
together. overnight at least, with a wage
Increase proposal that ignored union de-
mands for thirty hour week.
There was every assurance that tho
operators would accept 1t and every in
dication tnat it would be rejected by the
miners.
When the joint conference adjourned
until O'Clock tomorrow afternoon 1t
was with the understanding that the two
groups would meet then and make for
NAL answer to the proposal, after sepa-
rate consideration. Refusal of the min
ers to accept will bring the conference to
a close and force Government officials to
resort to other means to prevent the
Hclosing of the mines with the first ap-
proach OF winter.
Secretary Wilson's offer, which pre-
vented actual disruption Of the proceed
ings, set forth the case as follows:
That wages be increased at the ex-
piration of the present contract in an
amount equal to the difference between
increases in wages received by mine
| workers since July, 1914, and the In
crease in the cost OF living since that
| date.
THAT the increase be effective from
the termination Of the present agree
ment until March 81. 1920.
THAT on these conditions the strike
order be withdrawn and that the miners
continue at work on these terms i; that
negotiations be entered into at the usual
time for making the new scale effective
after March 81. 1920"
The silence that prevailed during the
reading of the terms on which Mr.. VIII
son hoped to settle the strike was rudely
broken by a quick demand from John l..
Lewis, president OF the United Nine
Workers OF America, that the Secretary
explain what he meant In the opening
paragraph of his statement concerning
-,pjrs ton of the present contract
The Secretary, bearing In mind that
this was one of the principal issues OF
dispute. said it would be matter for
negotiation. The miners have contended
hat the war time wage agreement
under which they have been working
,nded with the armstice. while opera
tors argue that 1t win hold until peace
is formally declared by ratification OF
the treaty.
Until the Secretary. acting indepen-
lcntly as 4 Government mediator. came
forward with his proposal the confer
nee was deadlocked. with each group
eager to get away, but just as eager
to escape the charge that 1t was re-
sponsible for breaking off negotiations,
Taking in the situ., ton, and still hope
full that his efforts might succeed, Mr..
Nilsson suggested that the miners retire
ch'le he conferred with the operators.
Later in the day the min.,s Curned
for separate meeting with the Secre-
tary. and they in tuin were joined by
the operators
TAe attitude of the two groups was
again outlined in detail. the miners an
rouncing that the strike order would
not be withdrawn until the operators
had agreed to new contract. the real
basis of which was the thirty hour
working week. The operators again in
formed the Secretary that under no con-
citions would they arDtrat; on the basis
of the thirty hour week, and II that was
included in any proposal put before the
joint session they would withdraw.