The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-01
COAL MINERS ARE
 RETURNING ID WORK
Monday Will Find All the Mines
 in Full Operation
GOOD EFFECTS ARE FELT
The Commission of Arbitration Has General scope--Text of the Agree ment Made Between oper-
 ators and Miners.


 Birmingham district work was resumed yesterday morning, but many of them are still idle, and even those that started up did so with small forces. It is expected, however that by Monday all the men will have settled down to work and that everything will be going we'll
 The good effects of the resumption of work have already begun to be felt Merchants from all over the district were placing orders yesterday and the railroad officials grin audibly at the prospect of having once more rush of traffic
 The miners are happy because there will be pay day with something doing in the near future and some of them were getting to point where the little envelope would come in very handy. In fact all over the district the men were becoming very uneasy over the unsettled condition of affairs, and they are glad that the strain is over.
 The Arbitration.
 Now that the arbitration commission is completed by the acceptance of Judge Gray to act as fifth man, the question is asked on all sides: What will be arr bitrated?'
 1 Word comes from at least one member of the commission who went to see Judge Gray that 1t is to be an "open arbitra- l tion," and in the absence of anything to the contrary, it must be taken for grant ed that that is the understanding be- tween Judge Gray and the other members of the commission.
 Some of the miners contend that there are only three questions that can prop erIy be taken up, namely. the question of advance on the present scale, the eight hour work day and the semi-monthly pay day
 The proposition to which both parties agreed and which is the basis of the whole arbitration was adopted by the joint conference on July 21, and is of course the only agreement under which the commission can act and which will be it's guide in all the proceedings. It is as follows:
 The Scope.
 Pursuant to amendments suggested on behalf of the miners by MT. Farley, the operators withdraw all propositions heretofore made, including the proposi- tion of the two and half cents advance in the scale and subn the following proposition:
 i've will submit to arbitration the question as to what the scale of wages and terms of contract at the coal mines in question shall be, commencing July l, l 1902
 | "The arbitration commission shall be composed of two arbitrators selected by the miners organization, two arbitrators selected by the operators organization, and these four shall, by majority agree ment select the fifth arbitrator.
 As soon as the fifth arbitrator shah have been selected and shall accept, the miners shall resume work.
 Pending the decision of the arbitra- tion commission, wages shall be paid on the scale prevailing during the year end ing July 1, 190S such wages to be adjusted upon the award of the commission by the operators paying the difference, if an , increase, or charging the men with the difference, if there be a decrease, in tho wage scale.
 " "A majority of the arbitrators shah decide on the award.
 " In handing down the award the com mission shall render a statement of their expense including their own compensa- tion, and these expenses shall be paid. one-half by the operators and one-half by the United Mine Workers organiza- tion.
 :" In the event either of the two arbi- -trators selected by either of the respec- tive sides should be unable. for any req son, or at any time. to act. the side se- lecting him shall have the right to select some one else in his place.
 Under this agreement it is for the com mission to decide what questions shah come up for arbitration. A prominent man said yesterday:
 Any person trying to place obstacles in the way of the free exercise of the prerogative of the commission will find that they are without the sympathy of the public. I feel sure. however, that the commission will work harmoniously and that it's award will be accepted in the proper spirit by all right-thinking ope rators and United Mine Workers and that it will be approved by citizens in general
 Birmingham has 65 insurance agencies representing I3 companies that issue pol