Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-12-02
PALMER CAUTIONS
PEOPLE AGAINST
BEING STAMPED
Should Not Let Fear Of Coal
Shortage Lead to Making
Concessions Which VIII
Keep UP High Living Cost.


Washington, Dec Attorney
General Palmer called upon the
American people tonight to refuse
to be stampeded by threats of lack
of coal into concessions which will
insure unreasonably high prices in
all commodities for at least three
years to come"
A statement of the governments
attitude was made by the attorney gem
eral in a telegram to the Chamber Of
Commerce at Moberly, Mo, from
which had come a request that another
conference of operators and miners
be called.
Mr.. Palmer opposed further con-
ferences, saying the wage increase
proposed by DIR. Garfield, equalized
the average miners wages with the
present high cost of living without
increasing the price of coal This in
crease, he said, was fair to the min
ers and protected the public.
"The cost of living is now at the
high point" Mr.. Palmer said. "TD
grant the demands of the miners
would make the cost of living still
higher The new wage conference
would run three winters, and there
fore, would maintain a higher cost of
living for substantially three years.
Such situation cannot be tolerated.
"fn addition TO this, DR. Garfield
suggested a consultative body to in
vestigate more completely the whole
situation, to he composed of repre-
sentatives in equal number of the
miners and operators and to be pre-
sided over by the secretary of the in
terror. Such a body would investi-
gate among other things, the profits
of the operators. If these should be
found to be unreasonably high, the
public should receive the benefit IN
decreased price of coal, after the
miners have had their wages finally
adjusted on fair basis | under
stand this plan is acceptable to the
operators. II the miners return to
work and agree to this plan, way
would be Immediately open for per
anent settlement.
| I'm the meantime. however, the
| operators have posted the advance ir
! wages proposed by DR.. Garfield, Sc
that working miners will immediately
raceiye the benefit Of this increase
The production of coal now closely
| approximates so per cent of norma
! and / have confidence that suff!
! cient number Of miners viii compl'
I with the wishes of their government
and respond 10 the needs of the people
to increase this production in the neal
| future to a point which will supply
! the demand If economy and conserva
ton in industry are employed.
"Anv other plan to reopen negotia
tions for a new wage scale betweef
tho miners and operators would bt
futile and would delav rather thar
advance nro@uction AS long as thu
| leaders of the miners organization
believe that their unlawful strike WI
force the public into q condition. o
suffering and loss which will compe
Further increases of WAGES, continuef
4 conferences on the subject will ONLY
result in influencing miners not t.
return to work.
1.-THE situation calls for the stead
fast support bv the public of the gov
ernment's position MS announced b.
Garfield. The public should refns'
IN be stampeded bv threats Of 'acl
of fuel into CONCESSIONS which vii
| insure urreasonablv hieh prices in al
commodities for at least three year
to come"