The Sentinel=record., 1912-03-22
STRIKE
 IS EXPECTED
DEMANDS OF soo,ooo MINERS RE. FUSED BY OPERATORS IN SEES.
 SION AT CLEVELAND.
Whole Matter Is Referred to a Sub committee-Miners Ask 10 Per Cent Increase and Shorter
 Working Hours.

Cleveland, Ohio, March 21.-All de hands of the 100000 miners in the bituminous coal fields of Western Pennsylvania, Ohio. Indiana, and llli- nois for 10 per cent increase in pay and shorter working hours were vot- ed down by the operators today.
 As a final effort to prevent a pro longed shutdown of the mines after April l, and possibly strike, the whole dispute was then referred to q subcommittee. This sub-commit- tee, composed of eight miners dele gates and eight operators will con. vene tomorrow 10 consider the pos siDility of compromise to be recom mended to tine general conference.
 Both operators and miners declared after the union demands had been re- fused, that the coal situation through. out the country was grave. Intima- tions were made by John P. White, president of the United Mine Work CTS of America, that the negotiations here might continue until next Mon. day, when the unions policy commit tee will convene.
 Besides the 100000 miners in the four fields directly concerned, 150,. 900 bituminous coal miners in other states are dependent upon these de. Alterations for basis of making their wage scale, and in addition the policy committee will consider the wage demands of about 170000 an. thracite miners. It was pointed out by President White that the wages of more than 500, 900 union miners after April i were in dispute.
 News from New York that the an thracite operators and miners might reconsider their differences, howev- CT, had the effect of arousing confi- dence among union officials that the anthracite situation might be elimi- hated
 The voting down of the demands late today was summary. Mir White had said that if the first demands requiring all the men to be paid on flat tonnage basis without reduc- tions for slack or small Jumps, was refused then the negotiations were flu tile. He wanted the miners to be given an increase of 10 per cent.
 The S2 operators then demanded a vote on all the 13 demands without discussing the rest of them. The re- suit was negative All the miners delegates withdrew from the confer ence with the understanding that the operators would meet alone to con- slider another plan. A recall of the miners resulted in the formation of d subcommittee.
 The action of that subcommittee will be by no means final" said MT. White. sIt merely may recommend. If may come back with recommenda- tion which neither side will find agreeable If we reach no agreement by April l, a strike will automatically follow. for We can not work without an agreement If we do reatlh an agreement, it will be a question as to just how long a suspension of busi- ness will last. for there is bound to be a suspension"
 The operators said they did not look upon the reference of the dis pute to subcommittee as holding out any prospect of immediate set. clement.
 Thomas l.. Lewis, former president of the union, said the present critical situation was merely a repetition of what took place every two years when d wage scale was to be drawn up. He thought a settlement would he reached within a few days.