The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-06
Miners Offer to Arbltrste.

New York, April 5.--Having failed to come to an agreement among themselves, the hard coal miners of Pennsylvania, through their representatives, today pro- posed to the operators that all matters in dispute be referred to a board of arbi- tration for settlement the tribunal to be composed of the board of conciliation which was created by the award of the anthracite strike commission in 1903, with Judge George Gray of Delaware or any person he may appoint as chairman and xusptre.
 If the operators accept the proposition and a convention of mine workers ap- proves the plan, the 160,O0O men now idle in the anthracite fields will return to work at once. While it had been reported for several days that the miners might ask that the differences be arbtrated, the proposition made to the mine owners today q ne to them as a great surprise, as they lid not believe the union leaders were ady to leave the controversy to a third party at this time.
 May Flatly Refuse the Offer.
 That the operators will accept the miners proposal as submitted is not gen orally believedl in fact. 1t Is intimated they may f1atly refuse the offer on the ground that existing conditions are the result of arbitration. The employers have decided to consider the miners latest move and promise to give President Mitchell and his men an answer on Mon day, hen another meet g of the two subcommittee will De held in this city. The text of the arbitration pre- Jsal as submitted to the operators is as follows;
 Text of Proposal.
 ."The committee appointed by the ShaTf,5nfn convention of December IA last representing the employees of the various companies operating the mines, washeres and breakers in the anthracite coal re- gie~ having under consideration our proposition to you, dated February 27, to- gether with your committees proposition of March 9, which was continuation of the award of the anthracite coal commits sion and later the governor of Pennsyl- vania having decided. in view of the great public interest involved aside from those we represent directly, 1t is our duty to make some further effort and even sacrifice of what we believe justly our duty in the matter of wages and con
 
 great public calamity may be avoided.
 ''rherefore. we propose that. subject to the approval of a convention of anthra- cite mine workers which shall be called at the ca fest date possible. the differ ences between us as stated in our propo- sition and your counter proposals be re- ferred for determination and settlement to board of arbitration composed of the members of the board of concilia- Q anthracite coal strike commission. with Judge George Gray any person he may appoint to act as chairman and um- pire.
 "The decision of this tribunal or ma jority Of members thereto in so far as 1t infue. wages to be effective from April l. 1sO nd to continue in force un- til March 3l. 1908, such decision to be final and binding on all parties In interest. he employees of the anthracite mines, ( fisheries and breakers to resume work immediately and contin, at work, pend- ing the decisions of 8. i'd board.
 JOHN MITCHELL,
 F. D. NICHOLS.
 WILLIAM H. DETTEREY,
 JOHN T. GALLAGHER,
 JOHN FAHEV.
 GEORGE HARTLIN."
 Read By MT. Mitchell.
 The proposition was read to the oFlr- ators by Mir Mitchell and along with 1t he submitted the original demands of the miners. the reply of the operators in which they proposed that the strike com V'ssion award be renewed and continued three years: and the letter of Cover no Pennypacker vho urged that both parties make re. ble efforts to come to an agreementA Nonference of the sub-committees las, than an hour. and at its conclusion operators held meetingTto informal <scuss the min CTS offer Later in thS day they issued the following statement:
 Operators Issue Statement.
 .It should be observed that in tse astutely proposed proposition of Mir Nit chell. the operators are asked to submit to arbitration the question of closed shop and the 'eheck-off, a scheme requiring In the words of the miners committee -
 (contlnued on Second Paae)