Milford chronicle., 1906-03-16
ORATORS REFUSE
MINERS DEMANDS
suggest Award of Anthracite Com
mission Be Continued.
NOTHING TO WARRANT CHANGE

New York, March 12.-The proposi-
lions of the United Mine Workers of
America for a readjustment OF wages
and conditions in the anthracite coal
fields. as a whole, have been denied
bv the. committee representing the an
thracite operators. As a counter prop
Osition, the operators suggest that the
awards made by the anthracite coal
strike commission, on the principles
upon which they were established by
the commission, and the methods es-
tablished for carrying out their find
ings and awards, shall be continued
for a further term of three years from
April II, 1906. The present agreement
terminates March 81 OF this year.
Announcement of the anthracite Op-
orators decision and their counter
proposition was made in long, formal
statement. which was given out for
publication. This statement, which in
cludes the correspondence on the sub
jeVts at issue between President John
Michel of the United Mine Workers,
acting for the miners, and George F.
Baer president of the Philadelphia &
Reading Coal and Iron company, for
the operators. discusses the miners
proposition in detail In every in
stance the contention is made by the
operators either that conditions in the
coal fields do not warrant the changes
proposed by the miners or that the
questions at issue already have been
passed upon by the strike commission.
Won't Recognize Union.
The demand of the miners that the
operators enter into an agreement
with the union is declined on the
ground that the anthracite operators
"stand unalterably for the open shop,
and again decline to make an agree.
ment with the United Mine Workers
Of America, an organization controlled
by rival industry" OF the demand
for an eight-hour day, the statement
says the operators know of no change
IN conditions that can be used to sus-
tain the renewed demand for a reduc-
tion in hours. It declares that the
expectation of the strike commission
that the reduction from ten to nine I
hours SHOULD not result in any de- :
crease in the output of the mines" has
not been realized, and adds: 1--WE !
might Justly say that with the expe-
rience of the past three years, the !
16-hour day should be restored; but
we are willing to abide by the de- I
cision of the commission" The prop
Of erne
be established in the anthracite fields
is met by the operators with the reply
that this would be impracticable by
reason of the varying capacities Of
the workmen and the varying condi-
tions existing in the region and at the
collieries.
No Change in Cancellation Board.
eve cannot increase wages without
the price Of coal; and we
are not willing to advance the price
Of COAL" is the reply to the demand
fo~ a general increase in wages. The
request that the operators shall collect
from each employe certain stated sums
for the support of the Mine Workers
Union is denied on the ground that,
''as a matter of policy, we would not
make such an agreement as you re-
quest, and as a matter of law, we are
not permitted to make il" The opera
tors decline to agree to any change in
the board of conciliatiOn as established
by the anthracite coal strike commits
sion, taking the ground that the sys-
.em proposed would simply involve
he creation of a series of minor boards