The Alaska daily empire., 1919-12-15
FULL TEXT OF
 WILSON'S NOTE
 TO THE MINERS
His Message Which Settled the Coal Strike Asks Every Working Man To
 Carefully Consider It

cern the developments in the bitu .ninous coal strike and am convinced there is much confusion in the minds of the people generally and possibly of both parties to this unfortunate controversy as to the attitude and purposes of the Government in it's handling of the situation.
 "The mine owners offered wage increase of 60 per cent conditioned however upon the price of coal being raised to an amount sufficient to cover this proposed increase of wages. which would have added at east $150,00O,000 to the annual coal bill of the people. The Fued Admin istrator, in the light of present in formation, has taken the position, md think with entire justification hat the public is now paying as high prices for coal as it ought to be re- 1uired to pay and that any wage in crease made at this time ought to come out of the profits of the coal operators.
 "Tn reaching this conclusion, the Fuel Administrator expre ssed the per ;onal opinion that the 14 per cent in crease in all mine wages is reason able because it would equalize the miners wages on the average with the cost of living, but he made it perfectly clear that the operators and miners are at liberty to agree upon l large increase provided the oper' tors will pay it out of their profits so that the price of coal would re main the same.
 "The Secretary of Labor, in an ef- fort at conciliation between the par ties expressed his personal opinion in favor of larger increase. His ef- fort at conciliation failed, however, because the coal operators were un- willing to pay the scale he proposed unless the Government would ad- vance the price of coal to the public and this the Government was unwill- ing to do
 "The Fuel Administrator had also suggested that tribunal be created III WHICH IHt IHluOiS ch' 'PN'~. ~.NO' would be equally represented to cor sider further questions of wages and working conditions, as well as prof 5 of operators and proper prices for coal, shall, of course, be glad to Id n the formation of such a tribunal.
 T understand the operators have generally agreed to absorb an lh- crease of IA per cent in wages, so hat the public would pay not to ex- ceed the present price fixed by the Fuel Administrator and thus way is opened to secure the coal of which the people stand in need, if the min CTS will resume work on these terms bending a thorough investigation by an impartial commission which may readjust both prices and wages. By adoption of such a plan the miners are assured immediate steady em- ployment at a substantial increase ill wages and are further assured prompt investigation and action upon questions which are not now settled to their satisfaction. l must believe that with a clear understanding of these points they will promptly re urn to work. If. nevertheless they persist in remaining on strike they will put themselves in an attitude If striking in order to force the Gov ernment to increase the price or coi to the public, so as to give stiii further increase in wages at thls lime rather than the question of a further increase in wages to be deais with in an orderly manner by falr- ly constituted tribunal representing all parties interested.
 "No group of our people can jus tify such a position, and the miners owe it to themselves. their families, their workmen in other industries and to their country to return to work.
 Immediately upon general re sumption of mining. I shall be glad to aid in the prompt formation of such a tribunal as I have indicated to make further inquiries into th'S whole matter and to review not only the reasonableness of the wages a' which the miners start to work. but also to reasonableness of the Gov ernment prices for coal. Such trl- bunal should within 60 days make it's report which could be used as basis for negotiation for a wage agreement must make it clear. however. that the Government can not give its aid 70 any such further investigation un- til there is a resumption of work.
 T ask every individual miner t' give his personal thought to what say I hope he understand fully that ne will be throwing countless other Iaboring men out of employment if he shali continue the present strike and further. that he will create an unnecessary and unfortunate p-"'" eide against organized labor which will be injurious to the best interests nf workinemen everywhere.
 (Signod) WOODROW WILSON"
 REDONDO HAS COAL