The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-13
CONFERENCE Is
 WITHOUT RESULT Mine Workers and Operators
 Are Still far Apart WAGES MAY BE REDUCED
Operators Are Said to Have Declared That the Companies Will Be Forced to Make a Cut In Wages
 of the Miners.

Philadelphia, March 12.-The conference between the subcommittee of the anthra- cite mine workers and operators, to ar range d new agreement to go into eff feet at the expiration of the present working arrangement, came to an end late this afternoon without result. While the prospects are not as bright as they were for a peaceful settlement, there is still hope that radical action by either side will be avoided. The executive boards will tomorrow issue call for a conven- ton of the miners of the three anthra- cite districts, to be held in one of the mining towns. for the purpose of con- sidering plans for further action, and then will follow another conference with the operators before March 31. 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 todays meeting that the suggestion for another conference came from the operators
 There was but one session of the sub committee today.
 Mir. Lewis did most of the talking for the men at todays session, while all the operators on the committed, except Pres ident Baer of the Reading company, took part in the general discussion. Mr. Baer was i'll and left the conference before 1t adjourned. During the discussion MT. Lew is says several of the operators again rafarrad fo tl1e afafa,nant y,oo do l., aaafo. ence yesterday that some of the coal companies had been considering the ad- visibility of asking all of the companies to agree upon 10 per cent reduction In wages because of industrial conditions, in- stead of thinking about an increase. Pres ident Lewis further said that it was not made as a suggestion nor as a threat x TUit was mentioned, the operators told ! him, as showing how some of tic com panies felt in regard to the present niin- ing conditions MT. Lewis told them. he said. that the mine workers would not think of considering such proposition, if 1t were ever made.
 The miners tonight had nothing to say The miners leader before today's confer ence stated positively that the miners representatives would not sign an agree ment unless it explicitly provides for rec ognition of the union mine workers of America. It also, he said, must be signed by the miners as officers of the union, and not as representatives of the anthracite miLe workers If the miners , support him in his attitude it looks as if there will be no agreement, as the operators, since 1900, have been unalter- ably opposed to recognizing the miners organization.
 There Is a possibility of the men con- tinuing to work without an agreement, and striking at the various collieries as grievances come lip, if they are not ad- susted by the superintendents of these mines. This, 1t Is pointed out, would be return to the chaotic conditions that prevailed prior to the strike of 1902, when there were strikes every day in all sec tions of the anthracite regions, making the amount of coal production from day to day uncertain.