SULLIVAN COUNTY, TN - NEWSPAPERS - Kingsport Times, 21 Nov 1919 - page 1 ----¤¤¤---- OUTLOOK FOR END OF STRIKE BRIGHT Miners Refuse Offered Increase, But Leave Open Way for Bargaining. Washington, Nov. 20. — Though operators and miners of the central competitive fields remained deadlocked all day today in their negotiations for a new wage scale contract, prospects for an agreement that would settle the coal strike were considered brighter tonight than at any time since the strike was called. The operators offered to the miners representatives a flat increase of 15 cents a ton on coal mined and 20 per cent increase for day workers. John L. Lewis, acting president of the Mine Workers of America, outwardly stamped the concession as wholly inadequate, but both sides plainly took the offer as a break of the ice and an opening for trading. Meanwhile the government continued to hold hands off, and Fuel Administrator Garfield took no steps openly to ration or restrict coal consumption. President Lewis of the mine workers, at the close of the long session today, said he considered that the operators proposal had contributed nothing to the settlement of the difficulties," but at the same time indicated that miners were preparing to come down a degree in their demand for a six-hour day and a 60 per cent increase. "The operators are proposing something that they know can't be accepted," he said. "The increase they would give they simultaneously arrange to take back in increased charges to miner for suppliers. Then they haven't talked the question of hours at all. It isn't necessary to take up the six- hour proposal. We have many of our men who work nine and ten hours a day under present conditions, but the present eight-hour day in many mines is merely a basic theory and not an actual fact." Thomas T. Brewster, chairman of the operators' scale committee, refused to discuss the proceedings, but the compromise offer made by the operators was outlined more fully by his associates. The proposed wage advances are the absolute maximum to be offered, W. T. Guthrie, member of the operators' wage scale committee, representing Western Pennsylvania, and Geo. B. Harrington, of Illinois, spokesmen for the operators, said tonight. Failure on the part of the miners to accept the proposition would mean mediation by the government, Guthrie said. They estimated that the price of coal at the time it leaves the mines would be increased from 35 to 40 cents per ton as a result of the offered advances, but declined to speculate as to how much might be added by middlemen before the coal reaches the consumer. The position taken by the operators' representatives was that their offer was strictly in line with the statement of Secretary of Labor Wilson and Fuel Administrator Garfield. Dr. Garfield's data, submitted to the wage scale committees on Wednesday, they said, showed there was little profit left to the operators in the "margin" of 46 cents on each ton of coal, and that any wage advances must be absorbed in increased prices of fuel. Likewise, they pointed out, Dr. Garfield made it clear that a big increase in coal prices would not be tolerated. Dr. Garfield conferred late today with Attorney General Palmer, but there was no statement as to what feature of the coal situation, if any, was discussed. Commenting on the fact that the operators offered no change in working hours, Mr. Lewis declared that Secretary Wilson, daring negotiations here in October, had offered the miners an eight hour day counted from the time the miners entered the mine until they leave and that it "was a cinch we will accept nothing less." "An eight hour day, from bank to bank," he said, would be equivalent to several hours of actual work in the mines. Girl Threatens Suicide After Auto Accident. Macon, Ga., Nov. 21. — (United Press). — Judge Welbourne Moore, of Sparta, a well-known politician and a member of the Legislature of this State, was instantly killed last night when an automobile he was driving at a high rate of speed struck a wagon and turned over. It was reported that no one else was hurt. Miss Ocona Bradley, of Macon, who was a passenger in the car, returned here threatening to kill herself. She is under observation at a local hospital. Mrs. McCreary Recovers from Dentist’s Mistake. Friends of Mrs. A. B. McCreary, who lives near Kingsport, will be interested to learn that she is the Mrs. McCreary who is reported to have had a narrow escape from death a fortnight ago in the office of a Bristol dentist, where instead of water she was accidentally given carbolic acid as a mouthwash. A previous account of the accident stated that Mrs. McCreary lived at Fordtown. Mrs. McCreary is now apparently fully recovered. New Contracts in Jellico Knoxville, Tenn., Nov. 20. — The United Mine Workers District 19, with headquarters at Jellico, this afternoon announced that new contracts have been signed with operators of three mines in Kentucky and that negotiations are under way for new contracts with two others. It was said by union organizers that approximately 800 men were affected by the contracts signed and that an additional 250 would be enrolled if pending negotiations with the two other companies carry through. Operators deny this indicates break in their ranks and say union estimates are far too high. Five Hurt in Atlanta Street Car Accident Atlanta, Nov. 21. — (United Press) — Five were seriously but not fatally hurt here early this morning when a train backed into a street car on the Southern Railroad Belt line. The car was demolished. The car had stopped at a crossing, and the conductor, not seeing the train, flagged it ahead. Sergt. Edwards Served With French Troops Sergeant C. P. Edwards, Jr., the son of Dr. and Mrs. C. P. Edwards, of this city, who left Hotchkiss School to join the French Ambulance Corps, serving with them 8 months before being transferred to the United Army has been discharged and is now in Kingsport. Sergeant Edwards served in the Infantry first and was then transferred to the Prisoners of War Escort. While with this outfit he assisted in the escorting- of thousands of German prisoners to Coblenz. R. Floyd Smith A Partner in Hugh L. White Agency R. Floyd Smith manager of the Hugh L. White Insurance agency here has been taken into partnership in that firm, it was announced yesterday by Hugh L. White president of the company. Mr. Smith has been associated with the White agency here since shortly after its establishment, leaving the banking business to enter insurance work. The White agency is considered one of the most prominent in East Tennessee, writing all varieties of insurance and bonds. The Kingsport Times Friday November 21, 1919 Page 1 Vol. 4 No.56 ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Misty mstytree@earthlink.net http://www.mistystree.com/ ___________________________________________________________________