The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-27
Coal Miners Of Five Western
States to Go Out.
Not Less Than 35, 900 Men Will
Be Involved. =
TO BEGIN WEDNESDAY
Contracts Between Operators
and Unions Expire Tuesday.
Trouble Is Likely to Last Two
Months or Longer.

Kansas City, March PA general
strike of all the coal miners of Mis-
souri,. Oklahoma. Arkansas and Texas
will begin Wednesday of next week.
Not less than $1,000 and probably a
great many more men will be idle two
months or longer because of the
strike.
The strike was ordered yesterday
afternoon by Alexander Howat, presi-
dent of the Kansas district, George
Colville of the Missouri district and
John Mass president for Arkansas,
Oklahoma and that part of Texas
which remains organized in union
mines. The order followed i'm
mediately on the serving of a letter by
the Southwestern Coal Operators as
ISOLATION on the several miners presi-
dents. The contract between the
operators and the unions will expire
next Tuesday. The miners proposed
that they continue to work on the old
schedule while fixing a new one. The
operators answered that they would
not negotiate a new contract until all
the miners involved would live up to
the terms of the existing contracts.
Under the contract about to ex-
pire when there is trouble at a mine
the work is to go on and the subject
matter in dispute is to be referred to
IL.
been the practice. The operators
have been complaining for two years
that when the men working in mine
became dissatisfied they simply
walked out and forced the operator
to shut down until the operator came
to terms or the miners got tired.
AS long as times were. good, the de-
mand for coal steady and the supply
of labor scarce the miner had his way.
The operator made the best of the
situation but now the demand is 40
per cent less than a year ago. The
railroad have a supply of coal ON
hand. Many other customers are buy
ing oil. The outlook for business, they
say, Is not as good and the operators
consider that they are in better condi-
ton to fight out some of these condi-
tions with. the miners than they have
been in ten years or are likely soon to
be again. For that reason they stood
on their dignity in the meeting yester-
day and said no new contract will be
written until the miners in the mines
now on strike indicate that they will
work according to contract.
Cause of the Move.
There are four mines of the Western
Coal &. Mining company at Deming
and Coal Hill, Ark, one mine of the
Bache & Denman company at Hunting
where the men are out, the operators
say in violation of their agreements.
These mines suspended without the
usual notice to the operators. The
operators said these men must go back
to work before negotiations can be
taken up and the miners say they
won't. Accordingly notice was given
last night that the miners will clean up
Tuesday and on Wednesday not a
union mine in the district will be in
operation except that men will be left
to man the engines and keep the
pumps going so the mines won't fill
with water.
1.-The strike will do us less harm
than If it came later in the season."
c. s. Keith, president Of the Central
1.-The railroads contracted in busy
times for a certain amount of coal
every day. When business fell off they
continued to take coal so they are
pretty well supplied now. In fact
none of our customers will suffer for
some time. There is no quarrel about
wages The controversy grows out of
the question of living up to a contract
when one is made"
George Colville, president of district
25 of the United Mine Workers asso-
citation, made this statement last
'The meeting was set by Bennett
Brown, commissioner for the operators
association, last February, after we
notified him that We would then confer
tract for the coming year At the
meeting the operators refused to re-
new the scale because of local griev-
ances and also refused to meet US
again on March 81, when the present
contract expires. If thsy had agreed
to meet and formulate a new contract
we would have advised the miners of
the three districts to continue work
ing. But now we have notified the diff
ferent miners secretaries to order the
men to suspend work.
I'VE have called the interstate con-
vention to meet in Kansas City March
80, when further plans will be decided
upon. Delegates from Missouri. Kan
sas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas
will attend"
Mr. Colville said that the suspension
of work next Tuesday would affect
about IS, 600 men.
Will Be a Conference.
Kansas City, Mo-, March 27.-South-
western mine owners are well prepared
to stand strike of the $4,000 coal min
ers of Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas. Ok
lahoma and Texas on April l. accord
ing to a statement made here by Chas.
s. Keith, one of the leading operators
in this part of the country. He ex-
pressed the opinion that the operators
association would agree to aconference
to try and reach terms of settlement
of the differences. Mr.. Keith said that
the operators of this part Of the south
west are prepared to stand a long
siege. He declared that they have big
supplies of coal on hand, sufficient to
last at least 80 days, the mines having
run nearly full time for the past ten
| months. The railways also are amply
provided with fuel, he asserted.
Asked the probable outcome of the
meeting next Tuesday Of the coal op-
orators association he said the action
| that would be taken at that time would
| be problematica1 1t is likely, how
ever, he said that the association would
| extend authority to the executive com
| mittee to meet the miners in a confer
ence and try to agree on the terms of
I a contract.
Immigrants Must Come Direct