The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-24
Presidents Cabinet VIII Try To
Find Solution.
Garfield VIII Take Hand In
Big Conference Tomorrow.
PUBLIC MUST PAY Difference
Industrial Plants All Over
Country Closing Doors.
Only Hope Now Is In the Gar
field Decision.

Washington. Nov. 24.-Settlement
of the coal strike is expected to be
put squarely up to President Wilson
after the meeting of his cabinet to-
morrow. The cabinet is slated to go
over the whole problem and then TIE
various proposals and counter pro-
posals that have been made, together
with the operators contention that
the public will have to pay the high
er wages If the miners demands are
met, which probably will be placed
before the president and his advice
sought.
Attorney General Palmer, Rail Di-
rector Hines and Judge Ames, assist
ant attorney general planned to con-
fer on the situation today. Fuel Ad-
ministrator Garfield was expected to
be present.
Chicago. Nov. 24-Industrial plants
all over the middle west continued to
close down today, fuel supplies to
public utilities were curtailed further
and regional coal committees advised
individuals to save coal as the nation
wide strike of bituminous miners en-
| tered its twenty-fourth day.
| The only large producing center re-
| porting an Improvement during the
| last "a hours was West Virginia,
| where the output in the non-union
| fields of the southern part of the state
| was said, by the operators, to be nor
| mai. The operators also asserted that
additional organized mines in the
| New river and Kanawha districts in
that state were expected to open to-
| day.
| In the great bituminous fields of
| Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illi-
nois. the miners apparently were Ge-
termlned to remain idle until settle
ment OF the controversy over wasl
and hours is reached by the confer
| ence al Washington of operators ai,.f
OFFICIALS of the United Mine Workers
of America.
| Factories Arc Closing.
| AT Indianapolis manufacturers
agreed to close their factories thr,.
days a week, beginning TODAY. until
the coal shortage is relieved. In CHI
cago heat was shut off in street cars.
Five hundred Virginia state tro, Us
today reached st. Charles. a mining
town near the Virginia * Kentucky bor-
DER. where 1t was reported radicals
mad threatend to shoot any of the
striking miners who attempted to re-
turn to work.
Wage negotiations promised to move
today to climax, coal mine opera
tors, miners and government officials
participating resumed consideration OF
the deadlock in the industry.
Tho flat rejection of three separate
proposals for increasing the compensa-
ton of miners which were presented
In turn by the operators the miners
and finally by Secretary of La Dor VIII
son, left the conference facing Il pos
| sible break. Hopes were held out that
Fuel Administrator Garfield would
, settle the controversy by fixing a defi-
mite limit on the advance he will allow
in bituminous prices
| Operators challenged sharply the
correctness of Secretary Wilson'S COM
promise suggestion for a 81 per cent
advance in wages as necessary to meet
, cost of living conditions. However.
. the miners have accepted 1T, provided
their working day can be shortened to
seven hours instead of eight. the pres
: ent standard.
''Dinky" MIIs<s Not Working.
7 Pittsburg. Kan. Nov. 24.-Rcporfs
to Pittsburg this x1orning from Weir
and Scammon, centers of the region In
which scores Of "Dinky'' mines are To-
, , Gated, some of which were expected to
! resume production of coal today,
showed that no mines were in opera
! ton.
Operators Profits Shocking.
. New York, Nov. 24.-Soft coal mine
: owners made shocking and indefensi-
BILE" profits in 1917. and there is
, grave doubt" that they are entitled
, to increased prices because of the pro-
/ posed 81 per cent increase in miners
! wages. William G. McAdoo, former
Z secretary Of the treasury declared
) today in a telegram to Federal Fuel
Administrator Garfield. The owners
profits as shown by their income ta1
r returns examined by him as secretary
of the treasury in 1918, he said
showed earnings on capital stock rang.
ing from Is TO 2.000 per cent
II am convinced the wage increase.
proposed for the mine workers sr'
g Just and reasonab BILE" he stated.