Show mJ I l O D D I l' l D O COAL I PARLEY NEAR GARFIELD I IP IS P 0 Of P i I. I Refusal to Permit Any I Raise in Price Causes Opposition by Both Miners and Operators JT WASHINGTON Nov 27 W All AU agencies g cies of of Elie the g go vern- vern em eminent nent ment have failed so far to solve solyo the bituminous coal miners miners' wage tangle and from the outlook early today the situation was as far tar from adjustment as it was when thene the tho ne negotiations began The last move was made mide by Fuel Administrator Garfield who last night told the miners and operators of ot a government plan for settling the dispute dispute dispute dis dis- by granting the miners a 14 percent per percent I cent increase in wages with the emphatic emphatic emphatic em em- stipulation that there would be no Increase in the price of coal coat coatto to the public This brought an outcry from both the miners and operators The mi miners miners ml- ml ners declared they would not accept the 14 per cent Increase and that under under uner un un- un- un der er such a plan the Hie men would not return to work The operators protested that the 14 per cent wage Increase se without an increase In the price of coal would force some of the larger companies out of ot business and declared they were ready to renew the negotiations PARLEYS CONTINUE More parl parleys ys were held today toda inan In Inan Inan an effort to arrive at some solution In explaining his statement at the Joint conference Dr Garfield said I that computing In the wage advance he had accepted Secretary Wilsons Wilson's estimate of ot 79 per cent increase In Inthe Inthe inthe the cost of ot living since 1913 which was the highest estimate by anybody Dr Garfield declared th that t miners today to today today to- to day day were receiving higher wag wages wages s without the 14 per percent cent increase than any other class of ot workers in fn the tha country At the opening of the meeting Dr Garfield read his statement carefully while both sides give gave him the closest attention He declared It was not a a proposal but a statement of ot fact tact Jo John n L L. Lewis acting president ot of the miners' miners union Jumping to his feet foet et at the conclusion of ot the fuel tuel administrator administrators administrator's adminis adminis- s statement wanted to know what had become of the proposal by Secretary Wilson I WILS WILSON N OFFERS OFFERS OFFERS' RECALLED 1 The miners came to Washington Lewis said at the request of Secretary Secretary Secretary Secre- Secre tary Wilson who Is authorized under the law to arbitrate disputes We Wo understood understood understood un un- un- un that he represented the cabinet cabinet cabinet cabi cabi- net and indirectly tho the president himself him him- self Acting In his official capacity Secretary Wilson offered the miners an advance of 31 10 6 10 per cent Does the government Intend to re repudiate repudiate re- re the act of ot Its Us t authorized agent or abide by it It There is no gentleman In fn the dig the cabinet cabI cabinet cab cab- inet I respect more than Secretary I Wilson Dr Garfield replied replied- Ills His powers are clearly defined Among other things his duties are to effect conciliation But under the labor act the president was empowered to conI control control con con- I prices and that tat duty was vas conferred conferred con cOT upon the fuel administration You cannot fix prices without affecting affectIng affect affect- I Ing wages and you cannot change chango wages without affecting prices I SUGGESTION ONLY Both Secretary Wilson and I I frankly realize this difficulty but I cannot allow it to 10 stand In fn the way of doing my duty It Is not my understanding that Secretary Wilson made a definite offer otter to either the I miners or o operators but that he I merely suggested a basis on which you vou might get together Dr Garfield said the cabinet approved ap ap- ap approved I proved provE the basis of settlement ni ns presented After a a. three-hour three discussion at 1 which representatives of the miner minors Continued on pago page 2 1 I GARFIELD IS I II I I I Continued from page 1 openly declared the new scale w was wall I sharply Questioned I insulting and Dr Garfield the Mm committee i I i composed of ot miners and operators met to consider the settlement 1 plan I j I today today- land I and quickly adjourned until The miners' miners refusal to accept was i taken by the operators to be d definite n I i Thomas T. T Br chairman of oC the i 1 operators' operators association declared the t Garfield 14 1 per cent statement formally for I I Secretary mally eliminated proposal for tor a 31 per cent increase I NEGOTIATION POSSIBLE I I The operators are ready read to n neRO negotiate o- o I a new wage agreement Brewster Brews Brews- i 1 said Garfield 8 ate ate- ter despite Dr will not I ment meat that the government i permit an advance in the price of ot co coal a There was a sharp note of ot from the miners over the amount of ot Increase which was much lower than they had expected Frank Farrington Farring- Farring ton president of ot the Illinois district of ot miners was cheered when he declared declared declared de de- that union men in his state would not accept it I Answering Farrington who wanted to know If miners refusing to work would bo be classed as outlaws Dr I Garfield said th the government could not compel anybody to work but that it would provide every protection for those willing to go Into the mines and give the tho country the tho coal it needs need i To pay higher wages than the proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed scale scalo would make miners a fa favored favored favored fa- fa class and would result In the payment by the public of an an enormous enormous enormous enor enor- fund to a minority Dr Garfield Garfield Gar- Gar field said replying to questions from FarrIngton PUBLIC PROTECTED Such a situation Dr Garfield addEd added added add add- ed does not differ fro of ot a corporation that attempts to add to its profits at the expense of ot the few tew Dr Garfield explained that he was not trying to dictate to the the- wage scale committee what it should do but that he was walt prepared to say that I r regardless of ot the amount of ot wage advance ance agreed to by the operators and miners the public would not be called upon to pay more for tor its coal William Villiam Green secretary of at the United l Mine lIne Worker Workers declared today would see the end of all negotiations negotiation as the operators are opposed to granting any increase and the miners cannot proceed on the figures given by Dr Garfield Many of the miners mine said ald they agreed with Alexander Howat president president president dent of the Kansas miners who tho announced announced an an- that If It we are unable to re receive receive receive re- re a wage here that will guarantee guaran guaran- tee u us u. a a. decent living JIving days In the year we e will go home and tind fight tight for awhile Je |