Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1920-01-07
SAYS REJECTION
OF WILSON PLAN
MEANT DISASTER
FOR MINE UNION
Green Defends Action of
Officers in Agreeing
to Settlement
No Chance to Win
Says Miners Could Have
Whipped Operators
But Not u. S.


COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. e.-Defend-
President John L. Lewis in agreeing
to accept President wilson's proposal
for settlement Of the soft coal miners
strike, William Green. international
secretary. of the United Mine Work
ers. today declared the only other al
tentative was disaster and defeat for
the miners organization
I'VE could have whipped the coal
operators but we could not, il we nao
wanted TO. whip the strongest gov
srnment on earth-our government,
which had Just finished whipping Ger
many.
Had Reached Limit
IF we had not accepted President
wilson's proposal of settlement, the
powers of the federal government ln
would have been turned loose on us
with greater ferocity than anything we
have ever seem Green continued We
knew we had reached the limit" he
asserted as the delegates. with loud ap-
plause and cheering, voiced approvai OF
what he said.
With every mining community IN
the country honeycornbed with federal
agents. gathering evidence against our
men. our funds tied up and women
and children freezing and facing
starvation. how, in the name OF God.
Green continued.
Green's speech followed an attempt
on the part of some of the delegates.
led by Robert II. Harlin. president or
the Washington miners, 70 defeat the
purpose Of the motion by Philip II.
Murray of Pennsylvania, TO approve
the actions of the officers, by requiring
the award which is to be made by the
presidents commission to be sub
rnitted to n referendum vote. or re-
convened convention OF the United
Mine Workers.
overruIes Radical
Secretary Green and Acting Presi-
dent Lewis warned the delegates that
TO do otherwise than accept the pro-
posal would not be keeping faith with
the presidents proposal and that the
commission might not make any award
II the miners should decide to reserve
the right to a referendum on the COM
missions findings.
Lewis ruled Harlin's amendment out
OF order.
acceptance OF the presidents proposal
meant that the miners agreed to abide
by the decision OF the presidents COM
mission. Lewis declared the public
and the commission are entitled TO
know whether the operators and the
miners will abide by it's decision.
IF they do not agree to abide by
The decision. then there can be no
arbitrat tion," Lewis said. The presi-
dents proposal, Lewis said, was predi-
Gated upon his belief that it would be
accepted by both parties.
Lewis will address the convention
tomorrow and then the convention will
vote on the motion to affirm the ac-
Ion OF the officers.
The debate over the Harlan amend
ment and the speech OF Secretary
Green clarified the conventions situa
lion and developed the real purpose of
the convention. which is to accept or
reject the presidents proposal to
arbitrate.
Green Scores Garfield
Green scored former Fuel Admins
traitor Garfield After Mr.. Garfield
got mad and quit his Job because he
did not like the presidents proposal.
know we had made no mistake in ac
cepting it, Green said.
Secretary Green expressed conf
Ience in the commission. He said h
believed il would settle many local
controversies which have long been
bone of contention between operators
and miners in effecting their settle
ments.
The award of the commission. he
said. would furnish the basis for the
wage agreement which would finally
he negotiated through collective b.lr-
gaining between joint scale confer
nnce Of miners and operators.
Green charged former Fuel Admin
istrator Garfield had been serving
the operators faithfully and WELL
II do not believe he would have re-
signed unless he had seen dynamite in
This proDosalr' ne continued.
Garfield told US more than year
ago when we asked for an increase.
that the operators could not afford TO
nav il out of their profits When
backed in a corner, he admitted that
they could stand a IA per cent advance |
put OF their profits without increasing |
he selling price OF coal.
Green said he hoped the commission. !
which now has all the power of the |
.orn1er fuel administrator. would find |
the profits of the operators We're 50 |
nigh that they couid grant a further |
Increase without increasing the price |
of coal