Bisbee daily review., 1919-10-28
UNITEOMINE WORKERS PREPARE FUR NATION WIDE COAL STRIKE IN SPITE IF OM|NOUS WARNING
 ISSUED BY PRESIDENT WILSON
Lewis Brands Statements That Men Were Earning $10 to SIS Day as "Absud' and Explains Reasons for Threatened Wakout; Asserts Union Was Always Ready Make Peace Except
 On Terms "Utery Impossible"

SO per cent increase in wages, time and a half for overtime, and elimina- tion of the strike penalty clause.
 In a statement issued tonight, he said, to clear up popular misappre- hensions about exactly what, took place in the joint conference, MT. Lewis again placed responsibility for the strike on the Operators. The statement follows:
 At the biennial convention of the United Mine Workers of America at Cleveland, September g to 23, at tended by 2046 delegates, a wage program and policy was outlined and scale committees were selected which were instructed to present demands to the operators.
 "On September 25, at Buffalo, the miners and operators met in joint committed The miners presented . their demands, and were met by a statement that the Washington agreement had not expired because the war was not ended and peace had not been promulgated by the president.
 "No counter proposals were sub- mitted by the operators, who seem ingly were determined to avoid mak- ing a new agreement. This commit tee adjourned for a week and recon vened in Philadelphia on October g, where the same circumstances ob- tained and adjournment took place on October Il.
 "The miners insisted at all times that they were ready to consider de naands from the standpoint of merit alone But consideration on this basis was denied by the operators.
 "The government in conferences with operators and miners last week in Washington endeavored- to secure a reopening of negotiations. The miners consented without reserva- tion. The operators declined except under conditions which rendered ne gotiations impossible"
 The government stood pat today on President Wilson's ultimatum to the soft coal miners of the country that i the strike ordered for November l must not take place.
 The whole federal machinery, al- ready set up for the emergency, was ready to deal with conditions in the mining districts unless the executive i board of the United Mine Workers of America, meeting at Indianapolis | Wednesday, votes to rescind the strike order.
 In the face of statements by John L. Lewis, president of the miners organization, that 1t was tod late now to stop the walkout, there was strong beliefe in official quarters to- | night that the strike would at least be postponed. Tlis hope of averting industrial disaster was based largely on the feeling that sentiment i throughout the country was over whelmingly for peace, regardless oi how the people might view the re ported grievances of the miners. II The fact that the miners them
 selves had taken no strike vote added to the hope nthe minds of officials l that the workers would be duly i'm .i pressed by the presidents strong Il warning, and, looking at 1t in a new
 light, willing to negotiate new wage agreement without reservation. There were many conferences dur . ing the day and much attention wal
 given confidential reports from gov ernment agents in the coal field ter , ritory bearing on the possibility ot
 large number of the men sticking
 Continued on Page Twol