Norwich bulletin., 1919-12-08

Washington, Dec. 1.- Government proposals for settling the coal strike were clnaked in veil of mystery to- night which promised to lift only at Indiana polls Tuesday when the federal court and the leaders of the United Mine Workers alike will be called upon tO consider them.
 Attorney General Palmer and his special assistant Judge Ames, were travelling to Indianapolis tonight on the same train with John L. Lewis, acting president, and William Green, secretary of the mine workers union, whose secret visit and equally secret conference yesterday with Mir. Palmer and Joseph r. Tumulty, secretary to President Wilson, resulted in pro visional agreement to settle. Not one or the participants of the conference would discuss it's meaning or intent in any detail. Before boarding the train for Indianapolis Mir Palmer. however, said he was quite sure that the end of the strike was in sight. It was learned that he would confer with Judge An dcrson Of the federal district court on reaching Indianapolis Fuel Administrator Garfield, speak ing with brevity and emphasis. added only doubt To the situation.
 My position has not been budged one inch. and will not be-" he said.
 it was recalled that yesterday Dr.. Garfield had reiterated that not one cent could he added 10 the price of coal to finance wage increases to the miners greater than the 14 per cent. he sug- Sested which operators could pay out or profits. and that the government was behind him In the stand. It also was pointed out that on Nov. 26 he suggested this basis of agreement to Inc miners with a proviso that an ar bitration commission be appointed by the president to review his decision, with power 10 change it if the com mission should find economical justi- fcaton. This proposal the miners. representatives then instantly rejected. From other authoritative sources there was only the attorney generals statement issued last midnight that "a definite concrete proposition from the president looking to the speedy settle ment Of the striker had been taken be- Tore Lewis and Green. and that they had agreed to recommend 1t to the ma uonm board and policy committee of the mine workers union.
 The miners representatives. it devel- oped today. arrived ill Washington at noon Saturday and were closeted until midnight with the attorney general They went from the department of jus lice 10 the home of a friend and did not appear until train time tonight and would not talk or add anything tc the attorney generals published yer. sion of the situation. Who sent foi the miners leaders, or whether they came 10 Washington of their own ac. cord. was question left unanswered by all concerned.
 That the step taken guaranteed the cessation of the coal strike on the par pr tbe organized miners still out wa. not claimed anywhere A definit, silence was maintained officially or this point. Likewise, the executiv, committee of bituminous coal opera tors watching the governmental activi. tles had no information which it would dlyulgc tonight.
 Gossip was active over the situation lt was said in labor circles that tn, presidents proposal would result il giving the miners more than previous government suggestions would allow other versions said that a practics repetition of Dr. Garfields arbitration oner had been provisionally accepte, by the mine workers union chiefs.
 lt was further said that a digerenc or method in dealing with the strlk had developed among the governmen agencies chiefly concerned, although al were working towards settlement.
 Meanwhile Dr. Garfield labored mos or the day on a multitude of details 2 the great job of trying to .conc--v every pound of coal. Officials wer confident that the country woul weather the emergency, but the fus administration acting with regions coal committees contained to maintai restriction of fuel supplies of concern not on the priority list and to reduc passenger train service to what it "a in war days.
 Attorney General Palmer is expecte 10 take an active part in the feders court proceedings in Indianapolis Q Tuesday when the s4 national and dis trict officers of the miners union al to answer charge sof criminal cuntemv of court in the strike cases. Whetht Mir. Palmer would act for the pres dent in presenting further the pres deSts settlement proposal at a meet ,ng In Indianapolis of the mine work CTS union representatives was not ar nounced, though the session was cal ed by Acting President Lewis after tt Saturday conference with the attorne general.