Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-06-01
WILSON WARNS
COAL MINERS
President Tells Anthracite Men
That There Must Be No
Strike.
TO AID IN FIXING WAGES
Tells Members of Joint Scale Commit
tee if They Fail to Reach Agree
ment He Will Appoint
Commission.

Washington, May 25.-Anthracite
operators and miners were warned on
Saturday by President Wilson that
there mist be no strike in the anthra-
cite coal fields during this critical
period.
Writing to the members of the joint
scale committee, which has been con-
ducting negotiations for two months.
fhe president said that if they shouit!
S'e unable TO reach an agreement, he
would insist that the questions in dis
Tute be submitted TO the determine
ton of commission TO be appointed
by him, and that work be continued
IN the mines pending the decision of
the commission. He added that the
award 10 be made would be retrOac-
tive TO April L, the date of the expi-
ration of the old agreement between
tde operators and miners
The president said he would hold
himself in readiness to appoint com
mission.
In making public the presidents let
fer Secretary Wilson, who has been In
conference with the wage scale COM
mittee at the department of labor for
the last three weeks, said he was
confident that when the committee
recOnvened Thursday 1t will either
reach a mutual agreement or the ques-
fiOn in dispute will he submitted TO q
commission as suggested by the presi-
dent.
There will be no strike in the an
thracite coal fields" he said.
The secretary added that represen-
fatives of the miners would present
tNe presidents letter TO their conven-
tiau at Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Monday.
The presidents letter follows:
Il have watched with more than
passing interest your efforts to nego-
tate d new wage scale for the authra-
cite coal fields. The arrangement t"
continue work at the mines after April
/ pending the adoption of a new agree
snent was highly commendable and
1iIed us all with hope that a new con
tract would be mutually worked out.
II have, however, been advised that
there is a possibility you may not
come TO an agreement. | am sure |
need not remind you that we have nm
yet recovered from the economic
IuSSeS incident to the war We need
the fullest productivity of eur people
10 restore and maintain their own eco
nOmic standards and to assist in the
rehabilitation of Europe.
"A strike at any time in great
Basic industry like anthracite coal
mining would be very disturbing
factor in our lives and industries. To
have one take place now while we are
actively engaged in the problems of
reconstruction would be a serious dis
aSter
II am not familiar with the tech
meal problems affecting the making of
Nour wage scale. You are. You
should therefore be able to effect an
agreement. If for any reason you are
unable to do so | shall insist that the
matters in dispute be submitted to the
determination of a commission TO be
appointed by me, the award of the.
commission to be retroactive to April
| in accordance with the arrangement
YOU have already entered into, and
chat work be continued at the mines
pending the decision of the commits
sion.
Il shall hold myself I'm readiness 10
appoint a commission similarly con-
Stituted to the one which recently az
pointed in connection with the blum
iaous coal mining industry as soon a.
learn that both sides have signitie,'
t5,eir willingness to continue at work
and abide by its decisions"