Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-30
MINERS MAKE
CONCESSIONS
T00PfRAT0RS

1llC1 CdOC q VII ctAAN A0AASA
Saturday Dropped in Ef-
fort to Avoid Strike.
Cleveland, O., March 29.-As a
means Of preventing strike in the
bituminous coal fields the miners pro-
posed to the operators today to
abandon all the original union de-
mands and to ask only for an increase
in pay of five cents a ton over the
present scale and for five hours on
Saturdays instead of eight. The opera
tors will argue on the proposition this
afternoon with a prospect that an ac'
ceptance or rejection will be reached
before night.
The miners put the proposition TO
the operators in concrete form after
they had held an independent meeting.
The union men pointed out that only
two more days remain before the ex'
piration of the present wage agree.
ments in both the anthracite and
bituminous fields and that a sus-
pension next Sunday at midnight, in
volving almost 100000 miners, would
certainly bring about strike possibly
of prolonged duration unless eltner
side yielded.
The miners said they were willing
to yield but -5ereN determined to nave
something III the way of an Increase,
however small the increase was, ana
all demands for changes in working
conditions were accordingly aoan'
doned. -,
The compromise offer probably will
be voted on at meeting this alter
noon. President White Of the union
said that if the offer were accepted
1t would have to 60 into the hands or
the unions policy committee and by
the committee be submitted to refer
endum vote of the union. Meantime
he said he did not see how at least
short suspension In bitun1fnous mines
could be avoided, pending the refer
endum vote.
Operators Willing to Treat.
New York, March 29-The state
ment reiterated by the operators In the
anthracite region that they are ready
and willing to grant an immediate
hearing when the mine workers
should desire to communicate with
them, may result in another conference
looking to a settlement OF the wage
scale and other questions. A suspen'
sion of work, however on April l, was
regarded today by operators as prac'
tically certain.
Each side says that the responsi-
bility for the situation rests with the
other. Coal dealers do not look for a
long suspension in either the anthra-
cite or bituminous districts and be-
lieved that it's effect will not be felt
in the main centers Of population for
at least a month.
President Taft is said to be keeping
in close touch with the situation In
both the hard and soft coal districts
through Commissioner of Labor
Charles P. Neill. who is conferring
with the operators and miners at
Cleveland. ... -...5
British Miners Taking Ballots.
London, March 29.-Balloting be-
gan today in all the districts OF the
United Kingdom on the question
whether the million miners now on
strike should return to wc-k pending
the decision of the district boards, to
be appointed under the governments
minimum wage act, on the rates OF
ages in the various centers.
In some cases the result of the bal
lotjng will be known this week. AS a
matter of fact the collfers connected
with the Brynkinalle mine at Chirk,
Wales, already have voted on the
question and the proportion OF five to
two of the men is in favor of resum
ing.
These men, however, are an excep-
tion to the general rule, as throughout
the strike they have strongly support
ed the onwers of the pit.
The full returns Of the balloting will
not be officially announced until April
T. and it is probable that it will be
after Easter before the miners return
to work. From now on, however, 1t
is expected that greater numbers will
resume each day.
The total cost of the strike to the
miners unions to date has been
$5,216,25O, and the balance left In the
union treasury amounts to $4,750,0O0,
most of which is invested in securities
which will not bring in their full value
under forced sale.
Besides the total spent by the
miners union the organizations con-
nected with other trades have dis
tributed nearly $2,50O,00O in out of
work benefits to their members
It will be months before the in
dustries and trades of the United King
dom resume their normal proportions
and as the men go back to their work
they will have what is for them i'm
mense losses to make up.
The admiralty has learned lesson
from the strike and has begun work
ing out plans for immense oil and coal
docks at the new naval base
at Rosyth, in Scotland. The royal as
sent was given to the minimum wage
Kill az pnOp today