Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-05-28
President Tells Anthracite Men
That There Must Be No
Strike.
TO AID IN FIyIaG WAGES
Tells Members of Joint Scale Commit.
tee IT They Fail to Reach Agree.
ment He Will Appoint a
Commission.

washington, May 25.-Anthracite
operators and miners were warned Oh
Saturday by President Wilson that
there must be no strike in the anthra-
cite coal fields during this G. Ia
period.
Writing to the members of the join,
scaie committee, which has been con-
Quoting negotiations for two months,
the president said that if they should
De unable to reach an agreement. he
would insist that the questions in dis
pute be submitted to the determine
ZION OF commission to be appointea
Dy MIN. and that work be continued
In the mines pending the decision uf
the commission. He added that the
award 20 be made would be retroac-
tive to April /. the date of the expl-
ration of the old agreement between
the operators and miners.
The president said he would hold
himself in readiness to appoint cont
mission.
In making public the presidents let
ter Secretary Wilson, who has been Ia
conference with the wage scale com
mittee at the department of labor for
the last three weeks, said he was
confident that when the COMMITTEES
reconvened Thursday 1t will either
reach mutual agreement or the Ques-
tion in dispute win be submitted 10 q
commission as suggested by the presi-
dent.
There will be no strike In the an
thracte coal fields" he said.
The secretary added that represen-
tatives OF the miners would present
the presidents letter to their conven-
tiOn at Wilkes-Barre. Pa. Monday,
The presidents letter follows:
81 have watched with more than
tiate new wage scale for the authra-
cite coal fields. The arrangement to
continue work al the mines after April
l pending the adoption of new agree
ment was highly commendable and
filled us all with hope that new con
tract would be mutually worked out.
Il have, however, been advised that
there is a possibility you may not
come TO an agreement. | am sure
need not remind you that we have no,
yet recovered from the economic
losses incident to the war; We need
the fullest productivity of our people
to restore and maintain their own eco
nomic standards and TO assist In the
rehabilitation of Europe.
"A strike at any time In a great
basic industry like anthracite coa
mining would be a very disturbing
factor in our lives and industries. To
have one take place now while we are
actively engaged in the problems Of
reconstruction would be a serious dis.
aster
II am not familiar with the tech
nical problems affecting the making of
your wage scale. You are. You
should therefore be able TO effect an
agreement If for any reason you are
unable to do so I shall insist that the
matters In dispute be submitted to the
determination of commission to be
appointed by me. the award of the
commission to be retroactive to April
/. in accordance with the arrangement
you have already entered into. and
that work be continued at the mines
pepding the decision of the commits
sion.
~ shall hold myself In readiness 10
appoint a commission similarly con
stituted to the one which recently al
pointed in connection with the bituni-
inous coal mining industry as soon a.
I learn that both sides have signified
tbeIr willingness to continue at work
and abide by its DECISIONS"