Evening star., 1920-01-13
AGREE
To OBEY RULINGS;
ONE RESERVATION
Will Be Bound by Prices on
Coal During Time Lever
Law Is in Force.

Coal operators appearing before
President Wilson's commission which
will investigate Wages. working con-
ditions and coal prices in the btu
minous fields today agreed. with but
one reservation, to cooperate with
the commission and abide by it's find
ings, and, with every appearance of
harmony. the actual taking of testi-
mony began with the presentation of
the demands of the miners by John
L. Lewis, acting president of the
United Mine Workers of America.
The one reservation made by the
operators was that they would be
bound by any prices fixed by the COM
mission only during the time the
Lever food and fuel control law re-
mained in force, and then only in
accordance with the powers conferred
on the President by that law. Even
in this respect Attorney Ralph Crews,
spokesman for the operators, said
verbally that they would leave the
commission, SO long as it's spirit was
preserved.
Presentation Of Statement,
When adjournment was taken ves-
terday. at the end of the first open
meeting of the commission. it was
to allow the operators to draw up
statement of their position. and to
say whether they would insist on an
answer to list of ten questions put
before the commission as a necessary
prelude to their acceptance of the
commissions findings. Accordingly.
when President Henry NJ. Robinson of
the commission called the assembly
to order in the Red Cross building
today the operators were asked if
they had anything to present. and Mr.
Crews read the following statement
into the record:
= They (the operatOrS) disayow any
thought of embarrassing the commits
sion by insisting upon an answer to
any of the questions submitted yes-
teroay IN advance of that time when
the commission, in the orderly de-
velopment of its procedure, mty see
fit to give them all or any part of the
information sought in such questions
and do not desire to make the ac-
ceptance of the award in any manner
contingent upon the answers to such
questions.
1.-The questions embrace one subject
in respect of which the operators
deem it essential to make a specific
reservation.
They are advised that they may
not lawfully be parties to any ar
is fixed beyond the date when the
Lever law will be effective, and they
therefore will be bound by any action
of the commission fixing prices only
during such period of time as the
Lever law shall be effective and dur
ing that period only, with the under
standing that full powers in respect
thereof Will be vested in the commits
sion by the President of the United
States in accordance with the terms
and provisions of that law.
with the information afforded at
the meeting of yesterday the op-
orators assure the commission of their
willingness to submit to the commits
sion all matters in respect of the
mining of bituminous coal which
may be presented to the commission
for adjustment upon behalf of either
the miners or the operators. with the
understanding that the decision and
award of the commission shall en-
brace decision upon all such mat
ters. binding upon the miners and
operators. and shall in and of itself
constitute the final contract between
the miners and operators for such
period of time as shall be therein
axed by the commission.
THE operators interpret the letter
from the President of the United
States appointing this commission as
contemplating an arbitration of the
breadth and scope as herein set
forth"
President's Letter Cited.
Commissioner Robinson reminded
Mr.. Crews that President Wilson's let
ter appointing the commission only au-
thoriZed it to make an award which
might be used as "a basis for a wage
contract" He asked If the operators
would not modify their acceptance ac-
cordingly. and. after some discussion.
Mr. Crews agreed that the commission
should determine that point.
THE mine workers understand that
the award shall be basis of a new
wage agreement" said Mr.. Lewis. land
that the award will not in itself be
new agreement. l trust a record is not
being made here which can be used
subsequently as basis for a refusal
by the operators to write into a wage
agreement the commissions award"
Rules of Procedure Announced.
With the position of the miners and
operators established. Commissioner
Robinson announced certain rules OF
procedure which would be followed
during the hearings. These were that
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