Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-22
DISCUSS WAGE SCALE
Joint Committees Continue De-
liberations Today.
THE PRESENT SITUATION
Realized Agreement Would Be for
Only One Year.
PROPOSITION FROM THE MINERS
PROPOSITION FROM THE MINERS
Movement to Establish a SubSca1e
Committee to Handle All Differ
ences Was Lost-Recess

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, March 22.-The
joint scale committees of the Joint confer
Of coal operators and miners of the
central competitive field and southwest dis
trlct again went into executive sessions to-
day to continue their contests over a wage
scale. Both meetings are being held in the
ClaypooI Hotel.
The situation before the meetings began
today was the same as when the former
joint conference adjourned February 2, fol-
lowing disagreement. 1t is admitted by
both sides that should there be an agree
ment at this time the wage scale agreed
upon Will be in force for one year only.
as the operators viii not agree to a longer
period.
Before the scale committee met today
leaders of the miners said they would pre-
sent 10 the operators a proposition TO sub
init all differences to subscale committees,
which would consider the subject from the
basis OF the scale of two years ago. BY sub
mitting this proposition the miners recede
from the demand submitted yesterday for
an Increase Of 1212 per cent in wages, an
elght-hour day, a per cent diTerential a
run-ot-mine basis and the exclusion of boys
under sixteen years old from the mines.
An Offer From Miners.
The miners now offer to take an increase
of 5.55 Per cent in the central competitive
district and 4 relative advance in the south
west district, with ether conditions remain
ing a. at present
Il was stated before the meetings began
that the operators would oppose the sub
mission OF the differences to subcommittee.
In the joint scale committee of the CEN
tral competitive district, the Illinois shot
trers law again came up for discussion.
The miners representatives took the po-
sittOn that ii was a district matter and
HA L Il frig Of
arbitration or In some other way without
the participation of the other states of the
central district.
This position was opposed by the opera-
tors, and motion by President Mitchell
of the mine workers that the matter be
considered a district affair. to be settled by
the Illinois representa- tives alone. was de
feated by the operators, whoh insisted that
II was an interstate matter. as il affected
the entire competitive field. This vote left
the breach as wide as ever.
Motion by Mitchell Lost.
President Mitchell then moved that sub
scale committee OF four operators and
four miners be appointed to which the diff
ferences existing should be referred. He
announced that he had Il proposition to
offer on behalf of the mine workers to
such a committee 1t was understood that
this proposition was the restoration of the
scale of two years ago. but II was not
stated on the floor.
The operators. with the exception of f. L.
Robbins of Pittsburg, who cast the vote of
the western Pennsylvania operators, op-
posed the appointment OF q subcommittee.
They took the position that the committee
was not too large as IL sat and any propo-
sitiun of the miners should be made a mat
ter Of record. which was impossible in a
subcommittee The motion to appoint q
subcommittee was lost, the operators of IL
linois, Indiana and Ohio voting against IT.
AT the request OF President Mitchell re-
cess until o'clock was taken by the
committee.