Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-03-23
GOVERNMENT GIVES UP
CONTROL OF FUEL
SITUATION
PUBLIC TO Be HIT
WAY is PAVED FOR ASSESSING
CONSUMER FOR w A G { IN
CREASES GRANTED MINERS,
..WhO WILL BE PAID q PEE
CENT MORE THAN IN OCTOBER.
CBy the Associated Press)


Washington, March 23.-president
Wilson today withdrew government,
control Of the price of bituminous
coal so that the q per cent wage ad
vance for miners recommended by
The majority Of the coal strike settle
ment commission may be absorbed in
the price the consumer will pay after
April l. Tle commission estimates
this wage advance at $500 600 ,00n a
year.
AT the same time the President
made public the majority and minor
lty reports of the commission, and
wrote the operators and miners ask
ing that they reach an agreement on
the basis OF the majority report alone
as speedily as possible, so hat uncsr-
iainty regarding the fuel situation
might be removed.
The operators were warned by Pres
ident Wilson against violating laws
combinations in restraint of trade
and protIteering and also not to exact
unreasonable prices for coal
The executive order withdrawing
government control Of prices April
virtually removes all government con
troll OF coal, placing the fuel adminiS
IratiOn on the status II was before It's
authority was restored when the min
ers struck Nov last
The President said there was no
provision OF law for fixing new coal
prices for peace time purposes anj
that unless and until some grave
emergency shall arrive which, in my
judgment. has relation to the "mcr
gency purposes Of the Lever act,
would not feel justified in fixing coal
prices with reference 10 future con
ditions Of production"
In refusing he demand Of the min
ers for Il thirty-hour week, the major
ity OF the commission said that if the
workday was shortened by one hour
ii would be equivalent to an addl-
tional cost Of more than $l00,t00, coo. !
The minority report Of John =
White, the miners representative, /
held out for a higher increase for all
day labor and monthly men than was
granted. He concurred in the recon- |
mendation for a ~ per cent ton in
crease on Pick and machine mining. /
His reports was transmitted to the
operators and miners by the Presi- /
dent for their information. The gen
era. terms of the Wo reports pre-
yiOusly have been published. The de, /
cis.on of the majority Henry NJ, Rob /
insJn, representing the public. and |
Rembrandt Peale representing the
Operators--includes the following
statement;
We believe it is obvious that un-
less some changes can be made to-
ward the end Of reducing costs in Goa
production and distribution no act
Of Congress, no order Of the eXecu-
tive, nor any other regulations by con.
stituted authority can in the end bro
vide against the continued high cost. |
1T is for this reason that we be-
lieve this industry should be placed
upon he proper basis for more con
tnuOus and thus more economical
production and distribution, with the
result that the cost Of coal to the peo-
pie will be reduced
The settlement is summarized as
follows:
Unless otherwise ordered the terms |
and conditions OF the Washington |
agreement of 1917 continue.
The If per cent increase in wages !
fixed by the fuel administration is I
eliminated on March @1st and replaced |
by this award (Which is on a y per |
cent basis.)
The agreements drafted under this |
award are to take effect April |, 1920 !
and continue until March 81 1922 in |
other words the miners do not get |
their demand for termination of con
tracts in the fallD
The mining prices for mining mine |
run coal pick and machine. are adj F.,
vanced - cents.
All day labor and monthly men are |
advanced a dollar day except trap
pers and other boys, who are adyan"- |
ed .3 cents a day.
All rates for yardage. dead WORK |
and room turning are advanced 20
per cent.
The iulfillment of all joint and dis |
trict agreements are TO be guaranteed
by the officers of the international.
The six.hour day and the five day
Continued GU page 6. column 81