The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-01-13
OPERATORS EVADE QUESTION AS
TO WHETHER THEY Will ACCEPT
THE COAL COMMISSIONS DECISIONS
Miners Make Sweeping Asser-
tiOn That They Will Be
Bound by Its Rulings.
THEY COUNTER QUERY
Submit List of Ten Questions
Which They Say Must BE
Answered at Once.
COUNTER QUERY

Washington Jan 12.- The coal
strike settlement commission at It's
formal session today received from
the miners assurance that its find
ings would be unreservedlv accepted
and from the operators question
naire as to the contemplated scope Of.
the commissioners action. When asked
whether the commissions reply would
determine their attitude toward The
commission. the operators said they
would reply tomorrow.
Among the points raised in the
questionnaire were whether the COM
mission expected its findings to be
binding on both sides. how it expected
to enforce its awards. whether it con
sidered it had power to adjust wages
either upward or downward. whether
il would determine mining q
whether coal prices fixed to sus,
its award would expire simuItaneou.
with the Lever food control act. at
whether it proposed TO provide for th
introduction Of modern machine
vices in mines 70 lower the cost of
coal
BitGmiRens coal miners nill accept
unreservediy any decisions made BIZ
The presidents coal commission ia set
tlement of the coal strike. Ionn Il.
Lewis, acting president Of the United
Mine Workers OF America declared ut
the opening today of the first public
hearings of the commission. Mr..
NJ
sentatives would assist the commits
sion's inquiry
Alr. Lewis assurance was given ia
answer TO question by Chairman
Henry n Robinson
Thomas #. Brewster. chairman OF
the scale committee of The operators
in the central competitive field. re-
plying to the same question by the
chairman. said he could make no
promises for the operators until the
commission had given answers to ten
questions propounded by the op-
orators.
Chairman Robinson said the COM
mission would take up the questions
and furnish a statement to the op-
orators. The commission then ad-
journed until tomorrow.
Among the operators questions were
whether the commissions award
would be final, and binding on both
miners and operators; whether the
commission would act upon matters
brought up by either side: as to its
authority to fix wages up or Gown:
whether it would consider it had pow
er to make retroactive awards con-
cerning wages and prices, and whether
IN fixing prices 70 sustain its decisions
it would consider that the prices so
rriede would not hold after the expira-
tidn of the Lever food and fuel act.
Mr.. Brewster said the questions were
submitted. ito clarity the situation
Operators asked for the adjournment
Of the commission so they might con
fer this afternoon.
In opening the commissions session.
Chairman Robinson said while mem
bers of the commission had been chos-
en- from certain groups. they were
not expected to be special leaders for
the groups they represented
It is expected" he said. "that all
three of them, Mr. White, although
a miner and Mr.. PeaIe. although =
mine operator and myself. as a rem
resentative Of the general public. shan
work equally for the interests OF the
public, miners, and operatives. as best
we see them
Herbert y. Shenton has been
named executive secretary Of the
commission. and Samuel T. Taylor.
dean Of the Pittsburg school of min
ing, has been named technical ad-
wiser.