The daily Alaska citizen., 1919-11-23
MINERS ACCEPT
 PROPOSALS FOR
 WAGE INCREASE
AGREE TO SECRETARY WILSON'S PLAN; OPERATORS DEFER ACTION UNTIL AFTER CONSULTATION WITH GAR FIELD MONDAY.


 WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.- - (Late Wire)-Late tonight the coa l operators refused to accept the pro posaI of Secretary Wilson for set clement of the strike by advancing the wages Of the workers 31 per cent They asserte+ that the public coulc not stand any Wage advance above that contained in their previous of. fer. They said that they are pre-. pared to leave the situation entirely in the hands of Fuel Controller Gar, fIe!d and will consult Monday with the controller, Attorney General Palmer, Director General Hines, and Assistant Attorney General Ames.
 MINERS ACCEPT
 WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.-(P)- Speaking for the coal miners this evening, President Lewis, Of the United Mine Workers, informed Sec retary Wilson that he accepted the proposal made yesterday by him for a wage increase amounting to ap- proximately 31 per cent. He said that the men are willing to return to work on that basis.
 OPERATORS DELAY
 WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 -(P)-Rep- rf1,,+,+i,ro,- Cf tb, cool Cro,, tCrsr +y, day stopped the conference with min CTS officials over the coal dispute. They will make no response to Sec retary Wilson's proposals until after that consultation with Fuel Admins rator Garfield next Monday morning
 RETURNS MINES
 WILTON, N. D., Nov. 22.- (P)-Af- tel being operated less than two weeks by state authorities the Wash burn Ignite mines were returned this afternoon to their owners in accord with an order issued Thursday by the local district court. In its order the court stated that the action of the state in communicating the mines amounted virtually to confiscation The owners will not attempt to oper- ate them until the strike is declared off
 REFINERY CLOSES
 GREAT FALLS, Mont, Nov 22- (P)-The great copper refinery of the Boston and Montana Copper company will make its last run tonight until it is able to obtain coal for fuel ac- cOrding to an announcement made this evening. The plant will shut down tomorrow and it's employees will be forced to remain in idleness un- til the strike is settled.
 BREWSTER PESSlMISTIC
 WASHINGTON, Nov. -(P)-The proposal for ending the coal strike made by Secretary Wilson last night to the miners and operators, it is assumed that the opera tors would pay the strikers an in crease of 27 cents per ton for dig gers and $1.58 per day for labOrers. What other provisions were inClud ed in the offer is unknown.
 There isn't much likelihood that the proposal will be accepted by eith CT side, according to indications this President T. T. Brewster, of the Operators association, deClar ed that Secretary Wilson's proposal only widened further the breach which already existed between the miners and their employers. Presi- dent Lewis, representing the miners, declined to make any comment on the offer.
 MORE SHUTDOWNS
 CHICAGO, H., Nov. 22.-(P)-Re- ports received here today show that there have been a large number of industrial plants closed down during the past week, the fourth of the strike of the bituminous coal miners. Most of the plants thus affected are located in the central western sec tion of the country which seems to be experiencing the greatest short age of fuel Only 1,700 cars of coal have arrived here and they are being used for public utilities and indes- pensible industries only. Non-essen- tial industries are rapidly being closed down.