Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-31
WILSON APPROVES
COAL COMMISSION
] MAJORITY REPORT
Award Gives Anthracite
Miners Increase of $685.
100000 Annually.
MAKES STRONG REPLY TO
lTHREAT OF SOME TO STRIKE
President Calls Attention to
Agreement Under Which
Body Was Named.
FMUsT LIVE UP TO PLEDGE
aFailure TO Accept Findings Would
violate Laws OF Honor Upon
Which Civilization Rests.
MUST LIVE UP TO PLEDGE
Failure to Accept Findings Would
Violate Laws of Honor Upom
Which Civilization Rests.
fpy Associated pre,sl

WASHINGTON. August 30--Prcsi-
dent Wilson today approved the ma
1ority report OF The anthracite coal
commission, awarding anthracite
miners wage increases nggregating
SsS, 100000. and notified the miners
that he expected them TO accept the
award and carry IT Into cnec, in
good faith"
ReplyinS to threats from the min
Frs that they would stop work Sep
tembcr i. unless the minority report
OF the commission. recommending Il
higher award than provided in the
majority report. were accepted. the
president stated definitely that the
majority award would not be set
aside.
The majority report OF the com
omission, signed by w O. Thompson.
president of Ohio State University.
representative of the public and
chairman. and by W. l.. Connell. Of
Scranton. Pa. representing, the opera
tors. granted wage increases of 20
and II per cent above the present
wage scale. Tie 20 per cen, wage
increase was awarded contract min
recommended for company miners,
monthly men. miners laborers and
a consideration miners
II Minority Recommendation.
n Neal j. Ferry. o, AicAdoo: Pa. re-
8 presenting the miners. whose minor
tty report the workers in distric,
meetings have indorsed recommc nd :
led wage scale OF Sc day for
adui, day laborers and AN increase
OF 81 per cent for contract workers
In refusing the request OF the min
crs for acceptance Of the minority re-
port, as made In telegram sent
through their local representatives,
the President called attention TO "A
/ resolution adopted by the miners in
| convention, agreeing TO accep, the
! findings OF such a commission as he
appointed.
'.By all the laws OF honor upon
which civilization rests" the presi-
dent, In his telegram to the miners
added. that pledge should be full
filled. Any intimation that the an
thracite mine workers will refuse TO
work under the award because i,
does not grant them ali that they
expected. Is a reflection upon SINGER
iity OF the men who constitute the
Backbone of the community in which
| they live
Ready to Meet Thrcnt.
The President further told the min
ers that IL their communication was
intended as q threat. they could rest
1 assured that the challenge would be
accepted and that the people OF the
country would find some substitute
fuel TO tide them over. until the
real sentiment Of the anthracite mine
workers can find expression and they
are ready to abide by the obligations
they have entered into"
Immediately upon announcements
h. from the White House, at noon. tina,
the President had approved the ma
jority report, Secretary Of Labor VIII
son, at the direction of the Presi-
dent. issued a call for meeting
Thursday, 1t Scranton. OF the joint
anthracite scale committees of opera
tors and ,itcd Mine Workers OF
America, frs he purpose OF writing
the terms he award into con-
u tract. to be effective until March 81,
J 1922.
sa SIS.O00.0OO Hack Pny.
b The wage increases recommc nded
s by the majority will amount to an
E annual increase in pay for the min
ers OF $4,000. .O00'an in the payment
L OF s1S.000.000 in back pay, accumu-
lated since last April l.
Interest of the general public in
the award centered largely in the
z effect of the increases in wages on
the price Of hard coal. Taking cog
Z SIzance of this. the commission said
fthat while making substantial i'm
( provement in the situation Of the
miners. it had tried to be conserva-
I tive and had declined to commit it
self TO u decision that might Justly
. be considered an encouragement to
y the so-called vicious upward spiral"
in, prices. The result, the commits
! sion said. was that the awards; while
providing improved conditions for the
workers, could offer no justification
for any advances in the retail prices
!. of coal.
THE award has not passed a great
! burden along to the consumers of
coal" the report asserted. ANY
sharp advance in the retail price of
coal could not bo charged to the
operators, the miners or the award"
Important Awards Made.
ss5 Important awards made by the ma
( jorlty in addition to the increase in
wages are:
-, Recognition OF tho United Mine
~ CONTINUED on Thira I'agc.1