The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-06
NOW PROPOSE TO ARBITRATE Miners Ready to Sub init Grievances. THE OPERATORS MAY REFUSE Objections Pointed Out to Scheme
 of the Men. Collection of Dues by the Employers Is Contrary to the Law as
 We'll as to Policy, I
 They Say.
THE OPERATORS MAY REFUSE

New York. April. 5.-Having failed to come to an agreemsu, among them selves, the hard coal miners of Penn sylvania through their representatives today proposed to the operators that all matters in dispute be referred to q board of arbitration for settlement. board of conciiiation which was cFeat- ed by the award of the anthracite strike commission in 1908 with Judge George Gray of Delaware. or any per son he may appoint as chairman and umpire.
 If the operators accept the proposi- tion and convention of mine work CTS approves the plan. the i60.o0o men now idle in the anthracite fields will return to work at once. While 1t had been reported for several days that the miners might ask that the differ ences he srbitrated. the proposition made to the mine owners today came to them as a great surprise. as they did not believe the union leaders were ready to leave the controversy to third party at this time.
 That the operators will accept the miners proposal as submitted Is not general belief; fin fact. 1t Is intimat- ed they may flatiy refuse the offer on the ground that existing conditISns are the result of arbitration. The em- ployers have decided 10 consider ths miners latest move and promise to give President Mitchell and his men an an- swer Monday when smother meeting of the two subcommittee will be held in this city.
 Read by Mitchell.
 The proposition of the miners was read to the operators by MT. Mitchell and along with it ne submitted the original demands of the miners, ths reply of the operators in which they proposed that the strike commission award be renewed and continued for three years. and the letter of Governor Pennypacker, who urged that bosh parties make reasonable efforts to come to an agreement.
 The conference of the sub-commit- tees lasted less than an hour and at its conclusion the operators held meeting to discuss informally the min CTS offer. Later in the day they issued the following statement:
 Tt should be observed that in the astutely proposed, proposition of Mir Mitchell the operators are asked to submit to arbitration the question of closed shop and then check on'--a scheme requiring in the words of the miners committee that each company shall collect from each employe such amounts as may be levied by their organization monthly. the amount thus collected at each collery to be turned over to an authorized committee at the colliery-a plan which would make or every operator a collecting agency on behalf of the strike fund Of the min- CTS
 .In their letter of March 9 to the miners committee the operators said concerning the check off: As a mat ter. of policy we would not make such an agreement as you request and as a matter of law we are not permitted to make it.
 ''On these two subjects also the an- thracite coal commission of is0z, ap- pointed by President Roosevelt, made the following vigorous declaration. The Right 10 Work. .'The right to remain at work where others have ceased to work or to en- gage anew in work which others have abandoned is part of the personal hb- erty of citizen that can never De surrendered and every infringement thereof merits and should receive the stern Announcement of the law.
 "It should also be observed that Mir. Mitchelrs committee abandons their proposal for a one year agreement and suggests an arbitration, the terms or which would expire April 1, l90S-thus affording a new opportunity to make. this great industry the football of pol itics. The operators had already of
  tend the findings of the coal commits sion to April 1, 19e9."
 The operators at their meeting de- cided that before they would frame reply to the miners they would first consult all interests in order to get the sentiment of the heads of all the coal carrying roads as well as that of the independent operators.
 Ii was stated at the miners head quarters that if the operators agreed to arbItrate a call will be sent out at once for a convention of miners at which instructions would be adopted, If they ratify the arbitration plan. for the idle miners to return to work im- mediately.
 District President Nichols of the Lackawana- wyoming district received a complaint from mine workers of YatesvilIe today to the effect that the constabulary were entering and search ing their homes for fire arms. Mir. Nichols sent instructions to his orga- nizers in the field to take measures to protect the miners and to employ coun- sel if necessary.