The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-12
NO INTERVENTION ]. I.
!. BY ROOSEVELT /; !; | |
~
President Is Taking No Part in
the Parleys Between Coal
Miners and Operators.

Washington, March IL. President
ing negotiations between the miners
and operators to prevent . coal strike.
The statement was made at the White
House today that Professor Charles II.
Neil, commissioner of labor, did not
confer with John Mitchell, president OF
the United Mine Workers of America,
by authority of the president.
Recently the president wrote an lden,
teal letter to President Mitchell and
Mr.. Robbins Of the operators, urging
that further conference be held be-
view to averting a coal strike # pos;
sible. The negotiations whicha followed
were the result of that letter. Since
writing the letter, however, the Pres1-
dent has taken no step in the matter,
and he at present, it is stated, has no
action in contemplation.
s. Operators Reject Demands
New York, March 12.--An Of the an
thracite miners demands have been re.
iected, in a reply sent by the operators,
committee to The miners committee. In
their stead renewal Of the present
agreement for three years is proposed
by the operators.
This counter-proposition, Of course,
opens the way for further negotiations.
e tho miners refuse to moderate their
demands there will be nothing left for
them but to strike. Their action is
likely to be- influenced by the outcome
Of the bituminous deadlock, but as the
anthracite workers put forward their
program simply as propositions 8 it Is
believed they will be prepared to nego,
tiate further.
The demands Of the anthracite miners
were based upon resolutions adopted at
their convention at Shamokin. The
convention appointed committee con
sisting of President John Mitchell, the
three district presidents and district
secretaries and twenty nine other unior
officials to negotiate a new agreement
with the operators.
The operators hint in their communi
cation that since the United Mine
| Workers Of America is an organization
| controlled by bituminous miners, It il
its policy to force a. strike of the an
thracite miners for the benefit Of tn.
bituminous mining industry.
Demands of Miners. IL
The demands Of the miners sent t,
President Baer, chairman Of the opera
/ tors committee, on Feb. AZ, took tn,
form OF a new agreement to last on
! year from April / next.
The proposed new agreement raises
vital issue in it's very preamble, that O.
| the recognition Of the miners union.
| The first article prescribes eight hour
as a day g work for all persons covere'
by the agreement, except In cases 0
emergency. A table Of wages is sub
mitted to be uniform in all collierie
thruout the anthracite region.
An article Of the proposed agreemen
is devoted to the contract miners Thes
are the men who actually take the COS
from the vein
! The proposed agreement specifesaa
advance Off 10 per cent for these miner
above the rates provided by the anthrs
cite strike commission. This was i
strike. - s'
7 Other demands for the contract mine
include standard size of cars; a COZ
cession that s'the contract miner h5
the right to choose his own labore1
without interference
President John Mitchell Of I'll
United Mine Workers of America hs
gone to Indianapolis, where he will Or
pare for the convention of the mir
workers, March Is. :
Mr.. Mitchell declined absolutely i
say anything regarding the reply Of II
operators refusing the demands Of II
miners. None Of the other members
, the miners committee would talk