The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-07-11
HARDING Plan
OPPOSED. 7 HEREBY |.
COAL OPERATORS | /: !. / Rs:
Miners Officials, However,.
Declare Action Of Presi-
dent Expected.
PROTESTS ARE MADE.
No Action on Proposal *
pected BY Miners Before
Next Saturday.


operators of Northern West Vlr-
ginia. Some say that the retention
Of wartime wages in the mines
will interfere with the whole
equilibrium Of the back to nor
malcy'' program Of the chief ex,
ecutiye. They see in it also every
chance for the railroaders winning
their fight.
II was reported here in coal cir
cles that thousands Of kilograms
are pouring into Washington today
protesting against the adoption OF
the Presidents wage program,
which the operators contend will
interfere with the progress made
toward normal conditions in indus
try. These wires are said to be
from big industries all over the
country as well as large consumers
of coal in general.
Some operators say the present
plan is only ''makeshift PROPOSE
ton and declare that it will have
to be fought out later. They say
that President Lewis of the United
Mine Workers Of America was
..wedged'' and that the miners sure
.Iy.would have%1ost their fight With
ont government Intervention.
The Miners Side.
ON the other: hand the miners
officials say the outcome is JUS
what they expected. They contend
that the big thing to be considered
in this program if adopted viii. pc
the stabilization of the coal indus
try, which the government alone
can do. They question what ad-
vantage it is to the miner. II in one
field one makes high ages when when
there is no certain to the job n n
10Th swords, mine err m a average tg
5000 or more in one field and aver
age but 500 in mother.
%5SsThey also contend that basic
wage scale is necessary and that
a settlement5co cou1d, not be expect
ed without4gthe granting Of the
,check-off.
Operators Protest.
A series Of protests were Wireo
to President Harding, Secretary
Hoover, Senators Sutherland and
EIkins. the West Virginia con-
gressmen and$A. M. Ogle, presi-
dent Of the National Coal Associa-
ton today by large number
Of coal operators individually.
Twenty-Five different coal opera
tors, after a meeting in Fairmont
this morning, sent telegrams 1nd1-
vidual1y protesting against the ac-
ceptance of the eEproposition Forty
kilograms of protest were sent
from C1arksburg today, Wnl!e
others no doubt went from Indl-
vidual coal operators from MOT
gantown and other points IN
Northern West virginia.
One of the Wires.
f s55gaA ..~-1a G-of 4pne of the tele-
grams that went out of Fairmon
this morning to President Hard
ing was as follows:
"Operators Of Northern west
Virginia today held a meeting to
consider your proposed plan OF set
Element of the coal strike, and,
after very careful consideration, we
feel that putting miners to work
now at war wages and the possible
continuance of these wages until
April 1, 1928, is only postponlng IN
d efinitely normal Ii wages in the
mining industry and will also serve
to disarrange adjustments already
made in all other lines of industry,
and furthermore that with increased
production, price levels will fall to
a point where itwould be imposs'-
BILE for us to operate in this region.
Therefore we protest against Tue "
plan suggested insofar as to con.
tinuance Of abnormal wages but as
sure you we desire to cooperate
wsgh any plan that will restore con
ditions to normal.
Marking Time.
The coal strike situation marked
tins today pending the decision of
miners and operators as to accept.
ance of President Harding's pro
posaI for the fixing of a new wage
scale by arbitration and the imme' 2 m I
diate resumption OF work mean :
time the wage rates Of March 81
last. The miners representatives
were delaying definite reply to the
proposal until decision is reached
by the general policy committee OF
the United Mine Workers OF Amer
lea summoned to meet in Wash
ington Saturday, while the opera
tors group also withheld reply
pending opportunity for deliberate
discussion of the plan with their
associates.