New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-21
WAR IN COAL MEETING.
DEMANDS IN COMMITTEE.
Robbins Fights for Concessions
Le1Cis and Mitchell at Odds.

[By Telegraph TO The Tribune
indianapolis. March 20.-The situation in
spect to the miners and operators tonight may
be summed up in the single statement that there
is dissension In the ranks OF the first and open
war in the ranks OF the second Vice President
Lewis is believed to have broken his truce with
President Mitchell and has control of enough
members Of the miners scale committee to force
Mitchell to do his bidding or thwart the plans
which his chief has formed The operators of
Ohio, Illinois and Indiana are openly arrayed
against President Robbins of the Pittsburg Coal
Company and those who support him. and thus
me leaders in both organizations are playing at
cross purposes with ali the proba bIities i'm favor
OF another adjournment without scale and con-
sequent suspension Of coal mining in April
The joint conference was in session to-day
just long enough to demonstrate how far apart
the miners and operators are. The miners pre-
sented the scale approved by the convention in
January without one iota Of change. 1t was
rejected. The operators offered TO agree to the
present scale. That was rejected but by the
miners. Tomorrow the joint scale committee
will meet with the miners committee to make
demands that have been already rejected and
the operators are fnsistent on scale which the
miners are instructed not to accept
The conference was called to order by Presi-
dent John Mitchell Il was organized at
once by the election Of the following officers:
George Traer, an operator. Of Chicago. perma-
nent chairman; Secretary and Treasurer W. B.
Wilson OF the United Mine Workers permanent
secretary; Frank s Brooks. of Columbus. Ohio,
and c. L. Scroggs, OF Chicago. assistant secre-
tarles.
on motion Of President Mitchell the rules of
the previous joint conference requiring that the
vote Of the operators on "aH main and principal
oIIa ba
action empowers F. L. Robbins. retiring chair
man Of the operators. and Thomas Lewis vice
president Of the United Mine Workers, to pre-
vent any action the wage scale which they
do not favor.
The following We're announced as the members
OF the joint scale committee who will act for the
operators; Illinois, H. y. Taylor A J. Moore
read, 3. F. Woods and O. l. Garrison; Pennsyl-
yana 2. / Robbins. G. W. Schleuderberg. ".
". Keefer and George \. Magoon; Ohio, H. I.
Chapman. F. NJ. Osborne, G. L Cassingham and
John H. Wiuder; Indiana A. s Boze, H. l. Sci
fert Fl. F. McCleIland and J. F. Shirley.
President Mitchell delivered brief address, in
which he outlined his views as to the purpose OF
the extraordinary joint conference. at the close
Of which he moved the adoption of the scale OF
wages demanded by the miners in the joint
ference which adjourned February .. The scale
provides for an increase Of 12la per cent. The
motion was lost on a strictly partisan vote the
operators voting unanimously IN the negative
while the miners voted as unit in favor OF it's
adoption
President Mitchell in his address said:
Fortunately OF unfortuna tely. as circum-
stances may develop the President Of our cOun-
try interviewed and advised that we make fur
ther effort to reconcile our differences AS A
consequence of his intervention-for which be
lieve the entire country feels grateful-we have
met here to-day again 10 consider, not only our
try.
On request of the operators the scale was
read. 1t embodied a demand for a general ad-
vance Of 121a per cent in wages. for a run OF
mine basis. for a fiat diHerential Of cents n
ton between pick and machine mining, the ex-
clusion Of boys under sixteen years of age from
the Mines and for an eight-hour day.
A resolution which provided that the present
wage scale. with all attending conditions he
adopted for a period of one year beginning April
I. was defeated. For this resolution Chairman
Winder. who introduced it. spoke briefly.
The operators held a heated executive session
before the conference. majority. consisting Of
the operators of Illinois. Indiana and Ohio. ex-
pressed desire that the differences in the Coun-
ell should be thT2Shed out before the joint con-
ference opened and F. i. Robbins. of Pittsburg.
who understood to favor peace with the
miners even if concessions We're necessary. was
asked for a statement Of his position. He replied
that he had never made any specific offer of an
advance in wages but declined to make state
ment. The operators adjourned with their dif-
ferenCes not adjusted
The new lining up of the Mitchell and Lewis
factions has resulted in Lewis gaining control OF
four Of the miners sixteen votes TO be cast i'm
Joint conference. and joint scale sessions. 1t
has also resulted in W H. Haskins rendering his
resignation president Of the Ohio miners, to
take effect Thursday
Pittsburg. March 2o-Telegrams received here
to-day from Indianapo stated that John
Mitchell. president OF the United Mine Workers.
had decided upon an assessment Of 20 cents a
week for the local miners, to be used in case a
strike is called April l. The miners of the local
district do not regard this as indication that
there will he a strike