The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-19
United Mine Workers Will Not
 Accept Reduction
NO AGREEMENT IS REACHED
Indianapolis Convention Changes Place of Next Annual Meeting and Takes Steps Toward Maintaining
 Present Scale of Wages.

Indianapolis March 1S.-The national convention of the United Mine Workers of America this afternoon changed the place of its next meeting from St. Louis to Indianapolis and received unanimous report from its scale committee, which has been considering since last Thursday 9 future policy for the organization. The delegation adjourned until tomorrow morning, when the report will come up for adoption or amendment.
 The scale committee recommended year ly settlements with the operators by dis present scale and conditions in each dis trict. Local differences are to be ad- justed by the district conferences.
 For nearly a week the committee was divided on the proposition to allow the miners to sign a scale by districts or if no district agreement could be reached to sign with operators individually. An other proposition was to make one more effort to rehabilitate the interstate agree iiiVhl Chbil dllcluOOIl Iut cOIlllllllec was divided by vote of 15 to 6. The agreement was reached as a compromise It is expected the report of the committee will be argued at length on the floor of the convention. Delegates hope to leave for home tomorrow evening.
 It was announced a few minutes before the convention met at 5 o'clock that the Ia off daJ last Thursday, had agreed on a unani- rdous report favoring the signing Of scales by districts, the present scale and condi- tions in each district to be the minimum demand, and settlements to be made yearly.
 Efforts Unsuccessful.
 The report was read by John P. White of Iowa, and after a preamble setting forth the importance of the mining in- custry and the unsuccessful effort of the miners to secure from the operators of the central competitive field an agree ment to meet them in joint conferences, said:
 Under these circumstances we must either find some other means of settling our differences or stop work when our present contracts expire.
 In Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Okla homa and Texas, comprising what Is known as the southwestern fields we have contracts with the commercial op- orators by which we have agreed to meet them in joint conference to perfect a wage scale before the present one ex- pires. A similar condition exists In cen- tral Pennsylvania, West Virginia, west ern Kentucky, Michigan, Iowa and Col orado. One of the prime reasons for the success which our organization has at- tained is that while we have contended for the best conditions possible to secure in making scale, when once 1t has been agreed to we have held it to be nviolable. We must not break these contracts now. For the foregoing reasons we recommend that the following policy be adopted:
 Joint Convention.
 "That districts 14, 21 and 25, constitut- ing the southwestern scale district, be in structed to go into joint convention with the operators of that field with tho purpose of making wage scales and con- ditions of employment for the ensuing scale year.
 That the basis upon which such scale shall be made shall be not less than the present wage rate.
 That all differences, local grievances and ineoualities be referred to the south western interstate conferences for ad- tustment to their interstate convention or otherwise, as their judgment may dic- OS''~- ''~N' tate.
 "That the same conditions be applied to districts 2. 13, 15, IT, 23 and "A. where joint conferences are to be held
 That in view of the fact that the oper- ators of the central competitive coal field oononosed of western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, having refused to meet upon interstate convention to pro feet our present contract or at any other date each district to be authorized to ne. gotjate agreements with the operators association of their respective ois.iioes or where the operators nave no asso. citation. then with them within the district. ,, ..r,,at inc basis upon which such an ooreement n shall be made shall not pe lass than present wage rates. ,.,
 s1,hot all internal differences, iocai
 o,d ,neuuaIites be referred to tne rasnective districts of the central com netitiye field for adjustment.
 Contracts With Operators.
 ~rhat where contracts are arranged Tn
 ., wape scale conference with the oper- ators collectively, the fact that some o,arotors in the conference may nave onerations in some other district Where . contract has not been signed snail not be a bar to signing the agreement coi- lectively. s
 
 a;s+r,cts fail to secure a contract with their operators before the expiration or the present contract, through the coal oterators' association or collectiVeiy' the opesSion of making contracts by other methods shall be left in the hands or the international executive board and the districts affected.
 That all of the foregoing contracts he made for a period of one year.
 That where no contract has been made prior to April 1. and no joint conferenc ce is being held at that time to negotiate a wage scale. a suspension of work shall take place until an agreement has been secured except where joint wage con ferences of representatives of operators and miners of districts or groups of dis tricts meet they are then authorized tc resume operations pending final negotla' tions and signing a contract.
 That details not herein specified .pe offered to the international executive board and the districts affected to ar range"