The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-03-12
Operators Refuse To Confer
With Union Officials Except
as Employees Agent
PRESIDENT LEWIS REFUSES TO
Be DIVORCED FROM THE UNION
Inability Of the Operators and Miners
to Reach an Agreement May Result
in Serious Tr0ubIe-Present Plan
Has Less Than Months Life.

Philadelphia, March 12.-The COM
mittee Of the anthracite mine workers
and operators held another meeting
this afternoon and endeavored to
reach an agreement to go into effect
at the expiration of the present
working arrangement between the
men and their employers. The fiat
refusal of the operators to make any
concessions has greatly depressed the
representatives of the miners. While
they expected the operators would re-
fuse to conceed the principals de-
mands, they did not expect them to
make such clean sweep OF all their
propositions. The miners will this
evening make their answer to the OPP
orators offer to renew the present
agreement for three years. President
Lewis of the miners union has not
announced what his answer will be.
but it is not improbable he will ac-
cept the operators proposition, if
they will consent to make certain
changes in the present working ar
rangement for which some of the
miners in different sections of the
anthracite regions are clammoring.
Judging from the attitude taken by
the operators some time ago, which
has not been changed by the present
negotiations, it is not likely the coal
presidents will concede the men
much. If this turns out to be the
case it is declared by men that they
will either call convention of the
anthracite miners or call into the ses-
sion tho international executive
board of the union to decide upon the
next step. President Lewis was very
much provoked today because the op-
orators yesterday refused to receive
him and his associates as officers of
the mine workers union, but merely
as Representatives of the coal miners
employed in the mines owned by the
former.
"The only agreement 1 will sign
with the operators will be as T. l..
Lewis, president of the union," hotly
declared Lewis. 1--WE will not be d.
vorced from the organization but will
insist upon our rights as men," he
continued. Asked il he will make any
other proposition to the operators in
view of the rejection of the demands
yesterday, Lewis said: 1--WE will not
qualify one of the demands we have
made but will insist that everything
we have asked for shall be granted"
At this afternoons session the sub
stitute committee OF the miners union
told the sub committee of the opera
tors that the negative answer they
gave yesterday to the employers
proposition to renew the present
agreement for three years is final and
that the only agreement the represen-
tatives of the workmen will sign, will
be one recognizing their organization
and that It must be. signed by them
as members of the United Mine Work.
ers of American. Thomas L. Lewis.
president Of the union, is authority
for this statement. he fact that Lewis
has definitely rejected yesterdays
counter proposition to continue the
present agreement was not announced
by the miners president until this
afternoon. What the outcome will be
is.- of course. not known but from the
trend that the negotiations have TAX
en- 1t looks as II one side or the other
will have to recede from it's position
or there will be suspension of work
on April l.