The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-31
WILSON STAND
TAMES MINERS:
WILL ACCEPT?
Though Dissatisfied With
Award Anthracite Men
Talk Less of Strike.

/ WuhcSUdIIcs d., aug. o4.-Al-
though expressing dissatisfaction
with the award of the anthracite
coal commission, made public yes
terday by President Wilson. strike
talk was not SO general today
among loyal members of the United
Mine Workers of America. The
award gives the men wage in
creases of II to 20 per cent. They
asked for at least q per cent.
President Wilson's forceful Ian
guage in his telegram to group of
miners, that if their communication
to him not to approve the award
was threat to strike that the chal-
lenged would be accepted, is ex-
pected to cause dissatisfied workers
to act slowly, leaders of the miners
union say. The dissatisfied miners
will hold a meeting here tomorrow
to consider the award.
Union leaders expressed the opfn-
ion that the so-called ''insurgent
movement" would not spread among
other members of the union.
The miners wage scale commit
tee will meet in Hazelton tomorrow
to take action on the award.
Wilson Accepts Threat Challenge.
Washington, Aug. 31.-Anthracite
miners were called on by President
Wilson, in a telegram published to-
day, to accept and carry into effect
in good faith, the wage award pro-
vided in the majority report OF the
anthracite coal commission"
The presidents message was sent
to the miners after his acceptance
of the majority report had been an
nounced and was in reply to
threats of miners that they would
quit work tomorrow unless the
minority report, recommending a
! higher award, were approved. The
president declared that the major
ity award would not be set aside.
Secretary of Labor Wilson, at the
direction of the president, has is
sued a call for a meeting Thursday
at Scranton, of the joint scale COM
mittee of anthracite operators and
officers of the United Mine Work
ers, to write the terms OF the award
into the contract which will be ef-
fective until March 81, 1922.
The award of the anthracite coal
commission, approved BY President
Wilson yesterday is characterized
as "the most reactionary decision
by an industrial tribunal during the
reconstruction period" by W. Jet
Lauck, consulting economist for the
United Mine Workers.
Predicts Trouble.
He predicted trouble in the an
thracite field" as result Of the
findings.
I'm saying this / do not believe
that am q trouble maker any
more than the weatherman is a rair
| maker when he predicts rain," ht
continued. The anthracite work
ers are asked to accept minimum
| day wage of $4.21 as contrastet
with $500 per day for the bitumin
Gus miners granted by the bitumin,
Gus commission, which by agree
ment, is now being increased t
/ $3.50 in Illinois, and $6.75 or $7.0t
In Ohio and Pennsylvania. How
4 can the public expect the Unitet
| Mine Workers to enforce accept
ance Of such an apparently dis
eliminating award by the anthra
cite miners, . large majority o
whom do not belong to the union.
"The price Of anthracite coal Il
the consumer should be reduced q
. result of the award" Mr.. Laucl
/ declared. When the case was sub
mitted to arbitration with IN agree
ment that the award should dat
from April l, last, the anthracite
operators advanced the price o
coal $1.00 per ton effective April !.
The wage increases granted. b,
said. amounted only to 50 cents pei
ASxvS q