Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-18
OPERATORS OFFER
NOT YET COMPLETE
Coal Conference at StandstiIl as
Employers Frame Counter
Proposal
U. S. MAY CONTROL MINES

washington. Nov. 1S.-\egotiHtiOn
between bituminous coal miners and
operators in the central competitive
field continued at a standstll today.
the operators again obtaining postpone-
meut of the joint conference of the
wage scale committees on the ground
that their counter proposals had not
been completed.
The operators were said TO be con
sidering very carefully where the money
to pay wage increases would come from
and the possible effect fhe Tr9nffn@ al
the workers demands might have on
the future control Of the mines. As
SIrances will be sought from several
, government departments before reply is
made to the miners demands for in
cfeiised wages and shorter hours.
Persistent rumors that the operators
had asked for conference with Fuel
Administrator Garfield to learn how
much of an increase in the cost of
production due 10 wage advances could
be passed or TO the consuming public
we're denied again today by Doctor
Garfield
The possibility of federal control of
the mines in case of popular disan-
proval of higher prices of coal was said
to he receiving the close attention Of
the operators.
Pittsburgh, Has. Nov. 1S.-(Bv A.
1 ~. First steps toward operation of
/ the coal mines of Crawford and Chero-
kee counties, under a receivership ere -
ated for the purpose by the state su-
preme court, were taken here today BY
state authorities, who predicted that
actual hoisting of coal would begin
within few days.
Whether the men would resume work
was uncertain in view Of statements by
some of the leaders that the matter was
purely optional with the strikers. Gov
ernor Henry J. Allen was expected to
arrive today to urge the men to re-
turn so that the people of the state
might not suffer from coal shortage.
The question of the attitude of the
operators toward the receivership plan
also was another matter pu2zling state
officials. 1t was shown that the oper-
atOrs opposed the appointment of re-
ceivers and that they had urged the
state to take outright control of the
mine operations. This officials declined
to do, Governor Allen insisting that the
proper course was to place the matter
in the hands of the Supreme Court.
operators had not decided early today
whether 20 seek court action to have
the receivership dissolved.
Details of the operation of the mines
are left to the receivers, of whom there
are three. one representing the public,
one the miners. and one the operators.
. The receivership affects about 15C
mines, the daily output of which is
3G 900 tons.
Pueblo. Colo. Nov. 1S.-(By 4. P.)
Colorado today faced IA second shut
down of its coal mines through the ulti-
matum issued by George q. Johnson
district president, United Mine Work
ers of America, calling out union men
next Friday. unless what he terms d
"blackist' of union miners by the
Colorado Fuel and Iron Co. and other
concerns is suspended. A statement
from !. F. Welborn. president of tho
G. Y. and L.. said the miners would
not obey the order.
Johnson declared that certain unior
miners were being refused reinstate
ment since the recall of the strike order
last week He further charged that
they are requested to sign an agree
mcnt to leave all disputes for settle
ment to the Rockefeller industrial plan
The latter accusation was admitted
by MI. NelDOfn. lnOuRn lie uenlPu tneF'
was any discrimination against the mel
because of union affiliations. A state
ment from the company said the mel
, would be reinstated with the exception
Of those who had engaged in promot
ing the recent strike.
Contract miners, properties operat
ing under contracts which have not ex
pired, are exempt from the order, Ap
; proximately 5000 miners answered th
nation wide strike order, but man.
have returned to work.
Charleston. W. Va. Nov. 1S.-(B,
\. P.l--Federal troops on coal strik
duty in southern West Virginia wer
preparing early today to leave for Cam
Taylor. KY The soldiers, overseas vet
Grams Of the First Division, made thei
way from mining communities t.
Charleston, this morning and, accordin
, to Colonel W. +. Harrell, their com
! mander, the troops will be en- route t.
! the Kentucky camp before nightfall.
1 The colonel said that if the soldier
were needed in this state again the
could be rushed back ION a few hours
! notice" Referring to treatment of tn
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