Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-03-18
THE MINERs AND OPERATORS
ARE As FAR APART ~
EVER.
PROSPECTS SEEM HOPELESS
However, There 10 q Little Hcp'
That Radical Action BY Either
Side VIII Be
Avoided.


Philadelphia, Mar. 13.-The confer
ence between the subcommittee Of
the anthracite mine workers ana
operators to arrange a new agreement
to 70 into effect at the expiration OF
the present working arrangement
came to an end late Friday afternoon
without result. While the prospects
are not az bright as they were for .
peaceful settlement, there Ii still hope
that radical action by either side WIN
be avoided. The executive boards
viii Saturday issue q call for CON
yention Of the miners Of the three
anthracite districts to be held In one
Of the mining towns for the purpose
Of considering plans for further &C.
ton and then will follow another con
ference with the operators before
March 81. The counter proposition Of
the mining companies to renew the
present agreement for another term
Of three years will be placed before
the convention by the executive
boards Of the workmen. National
President Lewis, Of the union, said
after Fridays meeting that the sug-
gestion for another conference came
from the operators. Following the
meeting Friday afternoon the follow
ing agreed joint statement was given
out:
"The Joint meeting Of the mine
workers committee and the opera
tors committee came to an end Fri
day afternoon without an agreement
being reached. Mr.. Lewis made an
other clear statement of the mine
workers position. He reviewed the
various demands, giving special en-
phasis to the question of recogni-
ton. He maintained that he and his
committee represented the organized
mine workers and that II not recog'
nized as representatives of the or
ganization they had no standing and
could not venture to sign a contract
which would bind anybody. He said
that the committee was speaking
strictly in the interest Of the anthra-
cite districts and were not attempting
to subordinate the anthracite to the
bituminous interests.
The operators repeated their In
tention to deal with the committee as
representatives Of the anthracite mine
workers and not as officers OF the
union. They renewed their offer to
continue the present agreement for a
term Of three years and this was their
final proposition. Mr.. Lewis request
ed that 1t be put in writing and the
operators answered that it could be
considered as an exact duplicate OF
the one made in 1906.
1t is understood that another
conference would be held after MI
Lewis and his committee presented
the operators proposition to a conven.
ton Of mine workers"
The proposition contained in the
minutes Of the 1906 meeting referee
to in the statement is as follows:
"Our proposition is, that the awards
made by the anthracite coal strike
commission and the principles upon
which they were established by the
commission and the methods estab'
lished for carrying out their findings
and awards shall be continued for and
during further term Of three years.
There is a possibility of the men
continuing to work without an agree
ment and striking at the various col,
lieries as grievances come up, II they
are not adjusted by the superinten-
dents Of these mines. This, 1t is point.
ed out, would be return to the
chaotic conditions that prevailed prioi
TO the strike of 1902, when there wert
strikes every day in all sections OF
the anthracite regions, making the
amount Of coal production from day tC
day uncertain.