Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1922-07-14
PEACE At MINES
IS BELIEVED NEAR
President Harding Asks Both
Sides to Defer Wages.
WILL NAME u. S. COMMISSION
Executive Notifies Both Miners and
Operators Mining Must Be Re-
sumed at Once-Must Agree
to Arbitration.

Washington, July IL President
Harding delivered the governments
final ultimatum to the warning coal
miners and operators.
At a brief, tense session at the
White House, the President fatty in
formed them that coal mining activi-
ties must be resumed at once and that
they must submit the disputes which
they apparently are unable TO iron out
to the arbitration of a commission APP
pointed by the government.
Both Sides Silent.
Neither John L. Lewis, president OF
the United Mine Workers, nor Alfred
M. Ogle, chairman of the operators
group, would say whether they would
accept the White House dictum, but
the impression was general that they
would.
Both said the Presidents proposal
would be given careful considera-
tion."
1t was evident, however, that the
miners were far better pleased by the
terms of the proposition than were the
operators.
What President Said.
In his talk to the coal operators and
miners the President said:
'The information has come to me
that your conference is deadlocked or
at the best attempting to agree upon
plans which will require extended
time to work out. / have said here
tofore that the government prefers
you, who are parties to the dispute.
should settle it between yourselves be-
cause you best understand all the
problems involved.
"The government cannot settle it
for you. 1t will force no man to
work against his free will; it will
force no man to employ men against
the free exercise Of an employers
right. The government will not be
partisan, but the government is con-
cerned with coal production sufficient
to meet the industrial and transport
tation requirements of the country
and to safeguard against fuel fam
| inc when winter comes again, and it
is desired to have production re-
sumed at once.
The Presidents Proposals.
''Your government does desire to
be helpful. With such thought,
therefore, l submit to you the follow
ing proposal:
Mine workers are to return to
work on the scale of wages which
expired last March 81 and mines now
idle because of strike or suspended
operations to resume activities with
out Interference with activities of
mines now working
''The 1922 scale to be effective un-
til August TO-
"a coal commission to be created
at once, consisting of three members
selected by the mine workers, three
members selected by the mine OPERA
tors and five members to be named
by the President. All decisions by
this commission shall be accepted as
| final
'This commission to determine, lie
possible within 80 days from TODAY.
| for the miners on strike, tenn
pOrary basic wage scale which scale
shall be effective until March 1, 1923.
Gin event that the commission is
unable to report it's scale by August
10, 1t shall have power to direct COM
tinued work on the 1922 scale until
a superseding scale is ready.
Wants Every Phase Investigated.
"The commission shall investigate
exhaustively every phase of the coal
| ird cfru oh
of production and transportation. The
President will ask congress to confer
authority for the most thorough i'll
vestigation and make appropriations
necessary to do such work.
1.-THE commission shall make recon-
mendations looking to the establish
ment or maintenance Of Industrial
peace in the coal industry, the elimina-
| ton of waste due to intermittency
and instability and suggest plans for
dependable fuel supply.
81 have taken this short cut TO n
resumption Of operations because i
| believe it to be in the interests of
public welfare.
at is that simple form of adiustl
| ing disputes which answers the calf
| Of good conscience and a Just civili-
zation. When two great forces do not
agree, there must be a peaceful wav
to adjustment and such an arbitral
ton opens the way.
Expects WelI-WeIghted Reply.
81 do not expect a reply without
| due consideration. Please take tha
proposal to separate conferences.
wish you to appraise the situation,
weigh your responsibilities and then
| answer this proposal as you wish to
be appraised by American public
! opinion.
II am speaking first of all for the
public interests, but am likewise
mindful Of the rights of both work.
ers and operators. You are also an
inseparable part of that public inter.
est. With due regard to all con-