Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-27
Garfield Offer Fails;
Coal TangIe UnsOlUed


Continued From PAGE One
a rapid fire of questions at the fuel ad
ministratOr. He had hardly concluded
the reading of his statement before he
was confronted by John l.. Lewis.
acting president Of the United Mine
Workers. his face white with anger.
'In arriving at your figures may
ask If you made any effort to consult
with the miners 50 they could present
their case to youE'
NO" replied Doctor Garfield, some
what taken aback for the moment, I'VE"
consulted neither the miners the
opcrators nor the public, as there was
not time for hearings on the ques-
tiouS.
Don't you think. as matter Of
principIp. the mine workers were enti-
tied to hearing before any such de-
cision was madeT'
These findings were reached after
full consideration Of all the data avail
able through government agencies
"Are you not aware that the miners
were promised that after these were
completed their claims would be given
honest consideration? Why has this not
been done?'
They have been. 80 far as know. -
Doctor Garfeld'S statement follows :
"On the oath instant ] announced
that the public must not be asked to pay
more than it is now paying for Goa un
less ii is necessary TO do so in order TO
provide reasonable wages To the mine
workers and a reasonable profit to the
operators. Careful investigation forces
me to the conclusion that in accordance
with this and the other principles set
forth on the Oath instant the public
ought not to be required to pay any in
crease in coal prices at this time
II have taken the figures Of the
bureau of labor statistics for both cost
of living and for the weighted average
of wage increases. According to those
figures the cost Of living has risen 19,S
per cent since 1913, and the amount
necessary to bring the average wages
Of mine workers up to this point at
the present time is IA per cent.
"Readiustments heretofore made since
1913 were such as to give certain classes
of mine workers an average increase in
excess of the increase in the cost oi
living. aud certain others an average
increase below the increase in the cost
OF living.
at seems to me that the reasonable
way TO deal with this situation is Il
give to the industry as whole an aver
age increase commensurate with the IN
crease in the cOSI OF HNluS huu lHel
let that amount of increase be appor
toned in accordance with the wag
bases that are acceptable to the en-
ployers and the employees.
Control of prices by the govern
ment will be maintained for the present
"The settlement of the present con
troversy on the wage ana price basl
above indicated must be considered i
the light Of the proposal to set up thl
permanent, consultative body. Whll
il will not have powers OF decision,
will hardly seem possible TO a reason
| able man that in the light OF its con
.clusions demands for exorbitant proht
or unreasonable wages can be success
fullS maintained, or that conditions un
2 favorable to the American standard
living will be tolerated.
N BituminOus coal operators IN Il
r central competitive fields made prof
ranging from Is TO 300 per Ger
during 1918. according TO a statemen
made public by Carter Glass, SCI
retary Of the treasury, based on II
% formation furnished him by the Inter
;, nal Revenue Bureau. In the hock
e Mountain districts the profits ranged
a high as 400 per cent.
e Incomplete and unofficial hgures Il
"a 1919 show the profits OF the operate
II have been smaller this yeas, some claiu
ing actually to have lost money.