| Show HJ IJ I J ill ill l J l IS J ISU WILSON PREPARES FOR j t S CRISIS COAL COAL- aRIKE I fI CA NT n O EFFORT ff RT T TO PLACATE PlACA It h Situation Declared a a Alar Alarming ing by Gov as Miners' Miners Strike Impends Im ln Before Wi Winter te l By Associated Press WASHINGTON Oct 25 A A definite program to be p placed aced before P President WU Wilson 1 a as t to 9 the 9 governments government's attitude in in the coal str strike e will wiTt be bo formulated d dby dby by the cabinet this tiis afternoon it was said at atthe the White House While n no definite decision n had bee beer been taken when the cabinet recessed fo for luncheon Secretary said the discussion at the morning session session disclosed disclosed disclosed dis dis- dis- dis closed that the presidents president's official family family family fam fam- ily was of one mind and not a bit wobbly He added that when the program program prOgram pro pro- gram was presented to the president Mr Wilson Wilsen was expected to mike make a public statement WASHINGTON W Oct 25 W vy President Wilson today through Secretary tary T summoned summoned sum sum- sum the cabinet in special session session session ses ses- ses- ses sion sion to consider the strike of bituminous coal miners called for next t Saturday Director General Hines fines of ot the railroad administration was was was' asked tb to meet with the cabinet to present the situation from tho the st standpoint of the railroads Secretary Lansing was confined to his home with a cold and could not at atI attend at- at I tend All other members of the presidents president's presidents president's presidents president's dents dent's official family were present and Secretary Glass presided was present to convey the views of President Wilson Vilson on the sit situation sit sll- OFFICIALS RETICENT As they entered the White HO House House- the cabinet officials declined to make malts any forecast Some members however however however how how- ever were said to bold hold the belief that stern action was was necessary necessary in the face of the grave industrial situation existing existing existing exist exist- ing over the country Director General Hines was Vas warn warned l today in a letter from the Natio National 1 Wholesale Coal association that th tho coal dealers did not question the i right ight of the railroads to confiscate coal mined for foi the dealers they would de demand demand de- de mand compensation for such action not merely on the basis of the fuels fuel's Value alue but also on the basis of damage to business and other factors a tors affecting the reputation of or the dealers I I am for the fight said one member mem mem- ber bel berof of the cabinet MASS MASa ATTACK t t While there apparently Vas was no disposition dis dis' disposition disposition position to criticise either the operators opera operators opera opera- tors or 01 miners for for forthe the failure of the tho negotiations conducted by Secretary Wilson ilson officials who discussed the s. s spoke of a ma mass mals s attack on tn th gov government There seemed to be doubt whether the cabinet would issue a statement as to the governments government's attitude re regarding re- re garding the coal strike In White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House circles the thought was that the le governments government's position could best ba stated by President by-President President t Wilson In a formal formal for for- mal statement to the tho public Some or of officials thought the cabinet would reo rec recommend we this flits course J H HOne t COSTS TO PUBLIC t tOne One phase o of the situation which most officials had in lii mind was that of or costs of coal to the public during the e threatened strike It was said that fair fall price committees committeE's working with Attorney General Palmer to reduce the cost of living probably would a add d coal to the commodities on which they ney have issued fair tail prices Officials said the department of justice justice jus jus- tice would not undertake to set seta et a national na na- na- na lIonal price for coal because of t the differences between mining costs and ancI freight rates 1 but ut that the qu question would be handled locally STOP WORK FRIDAY Just before re the cabinet met John LLewis L L. I Lewis president of ot the United Mine Mirie MineWorkers MineWorkers Workers of America sent word to unions throughout the country that Continued on page 2 j t CABINET IN EFFORT Continued Cr from m page 1 work In the mines would stop atop next Friday Friday Fri Fri- day night Lewis sal sai l the strike would last until un un- uno til UI the government tnt is able to induce the stubborn coal operators to deal humanely with the m men nien n who mine the coa coal And one mans man's guess Is as good as another's as to when that will be be he added LAST EFFORT FAILS The last government effort to avert the coal strike set for tor November 1 11 I failed tailed utterly last night and miners will quit work on the very eve of ot winter with the nations nation's bins running running running run run- ning dangerously low Kv Even t en an art appeal from President Wilson Wilson Wil Wil- 11 son was not enough to bring peace to toa toa toa a conference that was vas torn and on the breaking point half a dozen times durIng during during dur dur- ing the day Char Charges es and counter countercharges countercharges countercharges charges flew thick and fast tast as the groups of ot operators and miners filed tiled out of ot the meeting meeting- which began somewhat somewhat somewhat some some- what hopefully four tour days ago BREWSTER ISSUES STATEMENT While the operators announced that they had accepted the presidents president's offer otter to wipe the slate clean and negotiate a anew anew anew new wage agreement the miners charged that the operators had bolted without the consent of ot Secretary of ot Labor Wilson the storm center of ot an extraordinary fight tight to save the country country country coun coun- try untold distress and suffering Thomas T T. Brewster chairman of ot the coal operators' operators scale committee issued the following statement The operators accepted President Vilson's Wilson s proposal to resume negotiations negotiations for tor a wage scale and to submit to arbitration any points which could not be bp agreed to the mines to be kept at work during negotiations This the miners refused thereby breaking off oft the negotiations and making the strike inevitable The refusal of the miners to accept acceptor or consider any of ot the propositions including the final proposition tion from President Wilson to submit all ill matters to arbitration demonstrates their determination that the coal sup- sup of ot the United States will be cut off oft I unless their demands are granted in full Mr Ir Lewis is running true to his statement that the tho government cant can't stop the strike OPERATORS BLAMED The United Mine Workers of ot America Amer Amer- tea ica in a 11 statement asserted that the operators walked out of ot the conference confer conter- ence and did exactly what they set setout setout setout out d deliberately to do In the first place force torce the bituminous miners of ot the United States to strike The operators it was charged did not want or Intend to negotiate a new wage agreement and t t tit they had de declined tie tie- lined dined to do so In conference with Secretary Secretary Sec Sec- Wilson lIson I We charge that full tull r responsibility for tor whatever may be the result or the consequences must rest on the operators operators operators opera opera- tors the statement said because ot their stubborn determination that no new agreement should be reached PRESIDENTS PRESIDENT'S OFFER Discussing the presidents president s offer the statement said I Knowing that hat the operators were I dead set against the making making- of ot a 11 new I agreement we know that if It both sides accepted the two propositions made by President Wilson one Wilson one for tor negotiation I and the other for tor arbitration the arbitration the operators op op- op- op I craters would prevent a contract by negotiations and then throw the entire I matter Into arbitration Such Sueh t ton on would be a 11 long drawn out proceeding pro pro- I deliberately made matte no so by operator operators oper opec I ator and during all of ot th the long weeks I Iund and und months which would be consumed Iby i iby by th tho arbitration the miners would be omi Hed to work at the present wholly inadequate wages and nd under the I present unbearable wor working ing conditions lt It It was entirely possible for tor the miners miners mi ml- ners and the o operators to negotiate a anew anew anew new agreement before the first day of ot November if the operators had been willing to meet the miners In a t fair r. r honest effort to do no so STRIKE ONLY REMEDY I i find tind that the But we only remedy left to 10 u ud us is a suspension of work to Obtain better conditions and wags wages I W We e did not vt want ant a strike No So one uti tin un- demands better whit what a means than do the eo ml 1 m mner nen who have been through strikes rikes In the past Dua B when conditions become unbearable as they have been in this case the coal miners must do what the great American American Ameri Amen can people did when Germany became arrogant and oppressive They must assert their manhood We have no fear tear as to the outcome Nor do we ve have any fear but that the American public will see the Justice o of ot our position and our attraction action |
