The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-30
GRAND FORKS N. D..

the negotiations for the men. This time
the miners did not stop after the COM
pact had expired. hut agreed to con-
tinuc operations pending the negotia-
tions Of IL working arrangement. After
comforting until twenty-n -ninc days aft.
had expired the commission award
was again put into effect for another
three years with the addition Of five
stipulations adjusting matters that had
come up during the life of the award.
The anthracite miners began to pre-
pare for the present trouble last fall.
when they held a convention at Potts
willie. Pa, and formulated these de-
mands:
IA one-ycar agreement.
Flight hours day for all classes
of men.
s-Recognition Of the union in ne
gotfating wage agreements and the
right to provide a method Of collect-
ing revenue TOR the organization.
"A more convenient and uniform
system of adjusting grievances within
a reasonable time limit.
5-A twenty per cent increase in
wages.
"a minimum Of $3.50 day for
all miners and $2.;5 for laborers for
consideration work.
S,7-That the system whereby con-
eafe ,iner has more than one work
H. Nst~ the mine or employs more
thai, s, sha', t, II, be eha.h asSl'snsa eis,
men and che. CD~g bosses shall
be recognized am. they shall not
be interfered with ifr he performance
of their work.
s-That all coal be mined and paid
for by the ton Of 2,240 pounds wher-
ever practicable.
During the winter efforts were made
to strengthen the union. which met
with considerable success. and then
came the negotiations. The operators
committee. whose personnel remained
about the same as in all the former
negotiations, found another new man
leading the miners. John P. White.
Three meetings between the opera
tors and committee Of the union
miners were held in New York. AT
the first the miners presented their
demands: at the second conference
third session the miners made a reply
regretting the action of the coal COM
panies. The operators in refusing the
wage increase declared that the profits
would not admit an advance without
increase in tho price Of coal. They
proposed another renewal OF the strike
commission award for three years, de-
CiaT1IlS INaI IL ndQ worked SdtlSIdC-
torily and had brought peace and pros
perity to the region.
One feature about a suspension this
year is that it would come for the sec
ond time in a year when presiden-
tial election is to be held. This may
have some influence in a settlement II
the tie-up should continue for any
legnth of time.
The anthracite mine workers in
their strikes have been aided by law
on the statute books of Pennsylvania
providing that mine workers before
they can become miners. that is, men
who actually cut or blast coal. must
have miners certificates In order to
obtain these they must have. under
the law. at least two years experience
in an anthracite mine. Tho law was
el.acted primarily to safeguard life and
property and in times Of strikes it op-
crates against the importation Of min
ers from other fields who have not
worked in the hard coal fields.
With the exception of small
quantity in Colorado and New Mexi-
co. which yields less than 100000 tons
a year. the only deposit of true an
thracite coal in the United States. il
not the world. ID in the northeastern
part of Pennsylvania. It Is found In
only ten counties and Is confined with.
in. an area Of 4s4 square miles. In
the~event of all the anthracite miners
going on, strike 1t would be difficult
In the face Of the miners certificate
law, to find a sufficient number OF
men outside. the anthracite regions Ia
break the strike