Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-04-21
OPERATORS PLAN
OF ARBITRATION
Willing to Refer Wages and Adjust.
msnt Of Complaints to Commission.
NINE WORKERS DISAPPOINTED

New York. April 1.-The anthra-
cite operators, at their conference with
the mine workers here, declined the
proposition TO have the Cancellation
board arbitrate all grievances submit
ted by the wage workers. and made
counter proposal that the commission
appointed by President Roosevelt in
1902 be requested 10 decide whether
any changes in conditions in the hard
coal regions have occurred which re-
quire that the award Of the commits
sion should be modified. The mine
owners limit the inquiry TO two grew
ances-wages and a method for the ad-
justment OF complaints. The miners
have taken the proposal under con-
sideration. and may give the operators
an answer on Thursday, when another
conference between the sub-commit-
tees of the two parties will be held.
In the meantime the miners commit
tee OF SO will hold sessions and agree
on a reply, and the operators will re-
main idle awaiting developments.
In connection with the conference,
George T. Baer, chairman OF the mine
owners subcommittee. made public
letter sent to the committee by the
independent operators, in which they
give their views on the situation and
express their firm conviction that any
agreement to arbitrate with the
United Mine Workers will be an un-
tustifable surrender 70 anarchy and
mob violence" The letter came as a
great surprise to the miners. and did
not tend 60 bring the contending par
ties closer together.
Notwithstanding the fact that both
parties TO the controversy are now
committed TO arbitration. they are still
far apart. but confidence is expressed
on all sides that a peaceful settlement
VIII be brought about There is every
indication that the counter arbitration
plan will not be accepted by the miners
as presented although tIey view with
favor the operators selection OF the
anthracite strike commission. The
old tribunal will be accepted by Presi-
dent Mitchell if he can induce the
coal companies 20 widen the scope of
the submission TO be made. The scale
committee Of the employees held a ses-
sion, and while nothing was given out
for publication. Il is known the senti-
ment OF many. IL not a majority. OF
the committeeman. was for either
amending the operators plan. so far
as 10 relates 20 the questions TO be
taken up. or for standing on their
own arbitration offer with the strike
commission substituted for the concili-
alton board. The endeavor OF the op-
orators TO eliminate all the miners
grievances with the exception OF those
OF wages and the adjustment OF COM
plants was n keen disappointment 20
the representatives OF the men, and II
their attitude can be taken as an indl-
cation Of their action. they viii
hght hard 10 have some OF their
other demands taken mp. such as an
eight-hour day. the weighing OF coal
and the check-on. If the scale com
mittee cannot come 20 an agreement
with the operators, lt IS not unlikely
that q convention OF miners will De
called 20 further instruct the commit
tee.
After the operators proposal had
been read. President Mitchell asked
whether. under the plan, the anthra-
cite operators would have the privil.
eye OF asking the commission to re-
duce present wages. and he was in
formed by one of the coal presidents
that they had. In reply 20 another
question, he was told that II the oper-
ators' plan is accepted, the first offer
OF the coal companies TO renew and
continue for three years the award OF
the strike commission would colIaDse
President Mitchell did not know that
the independent operators had sent a
communication TO the presidents of
the coal-carrying railroads opposing
| arbitration. He first learned IL after
returning 20 his headquarters at the
Ashland House. and when a copy OF
the letter was shown him, he read Il
with keen interest He would not
comment on il at this time. but Il is
believed that he will not let the com
municatlon go unnoticed.
President Mitchell announced that
the last Of the bituminous coal oper.
ators in the Pittsburg district who had
! held out against the 1903 wage agree
ment signed the scale. This action. he
said, clears up the western Pennsylva-
MIA territory, and means that 40. OOO
men in that territory who produce
from S5,OOO,OO0 to 10000. 900 tons OF
soft coal year will receive an In
crease OF 5.55 per cent In wages.
Mules Hoisted From Mines.
Mahanoy City, Pa. April 10. - The
mules at all the collieries of the Phila-
deiphia & Reading Coal and Iron Com
pany in the Mahanoy region have been
: hoisted. number of Philadelphia &
Reading Coal and Iron deputies have
+ arrived at Gilberton.
5