Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1919 — U. S. STANDS PAT ON 14 PER GENT [ARTICLE]

U. S. STANDS PAT ON 14 PER GENT

Increase In Wage to Bituminous Coal Miners. peoplenottobestampedEd Further Concessions to Miners Means Three Years of Inflated Prices, Says* Palmer. Washington, D. C., Dec. I.— Attorney-General Palmer called upon the American people tonight “to refuse to be stampeded by threats of lack of coal into concessions which will insure unreasonably high prices Jn all commodities for at least three years to come.” A statement of the government’s attitude was made by the attorneygeneral in a telegram to the chamber of commerce at Moberly, Mo., froin which had come a request that another conference of operators and miners be called. Mr. Palmer opposed further conferences, saying wage increase proposals by Dr. Garfield equalized the average miner’s wage with the present high cost of living, without increasing the price of coal. This, he said, was fair to the miners and protected the public. “The cost of living is now at the high point,” Mr. Palmer said. “To grant these demands of the miners would make the cost of living still higher. The new wage conference would run three winters and therefore, would maintain a higher cost of living for substantially three years. Such a situation cannot be tolerated. “In addition to this Dr. Garfield suggested a consultative body to Investigate more completely the whole situation, to be composed of representatives in equal number of the miners and operators, and to be presided over by the secretary of the interior. Such a body would investigate, among other things, the profits of the operators. If these should be found to be unreasonably high, the public should receive the benefit in a decreased price of coal, after the miners have had their wages finally adjusted on a fair basis. I understand this plan is acceptable to the operators. If the miners return to work and agree to this plan, a way would be found immediately open forpermanent settlement.

“In the meantime, however, the operators have posted the advance in wages proposed by Dr. Garfield, so that working miners will immediately receive the benefit of this increase. The production of coal ncßv closely approximates 50% of normal and I have confidence that a sufficient number of miners will comply with the wishes of theif government and respond ,to the needs of the people to increase production, in the near future to a point which will supply the demand if economy and conservation in industry are employed. “Any other plan to reopen negotiations for a new wage scale between the miners and operators would be futile and would delay rather than advance production. As long as the leaders of the miners’ organizations believe that their unlawful strike will force the public into a condition of suffering and loss which will compel further increases of wages, continued conferences on the subject will only result in influencing miners not to return to work. “The situation calls for the steadsupport by the public of the government’s position as announced by Dr. Garfield. The public should refuse to be stampeded by threats of lack of fuel into concessions which will insure unreasonable prices in all commodities for at least three years to come.’’