El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-11
MINERS WISH
To END THE
STRUGGLE
Strike Will Be Advocated by
Conference, but the Men
Do Not Wish It.
NEW NEGOTIATIONS
LIKELY TO FOLLOW

Wilkesbarre, Penn, May 11.-While
It is not generally believed that a
strike will be advocated by the 400
miners delegates who viii meet here
on Tuesday TO consider the compromise
between the miners and operators sug-
gested by their joint subcommittee
and rejected by the general committee
OF the anthracite miners on May ., It
was made patent today that a great
number Of the rank and file of coal
miners are heartily in favor OF termin-
ating the struggle between the Oper-
ators and their employees by this means.
The radical element Will be in the
minority at the meeting. however, and
though the tentative agreement Of the
subcommittee viii probably be re-
jected. It is thought that the only &C
ton that viii be recommended by the
conference will BE- for further negOti-
atoms with the operators.
The convention viii be composed OF
one delegate from each of the four
hundred local unions CT the three coal
districts involved. and viii probably be
presided over by national president,
John P White. Of the Miners union
ar White has been i'll at his home IN
OskalOOsa Iowa. however. and If his
condition is such that he wiz be unable
10 take the chair. the leadership OF
mer state senator William Greene, VINO
LED the miners delegates in their last
conference with the operators in New
York.
Refuse to Ratify Agreement.
The present convention is the result
Of the refusal OF the general committee
Of coal miners 10 rFtify compromise
agreement suggested BY subcommittee
OF the coal miners and coal operators
in New York on Nay 2 These joint
committees submitted a tentative
agreement which apparently gave the
miners a 10 per cent increase over
their present wage scale, but abOl-
ished the sliding scale under which
they formerly worked The result Of
this apparent increase Of 10 percent is
estimated to be an actual net wage in
crease OF e little more than five per
cent under the contract that expired
April j.
Besides abolishing he sliding
scale, the agreement reached by the
joint subcommittee advocated a four
year term of contract ending March 81
1915 The joint committees report
further called -for-a continuance Of the
original terms Of the anthracite coal
strike commission appointed in 1902
by president EooseFeiI- Whch PROVIDES
virtually for the maintenance Of an
open shop
All Of these recommendation are
distasteful to the large body Of min
- y
the delegates at the coming cOnTen-
tiOn.
subcommittee Report.
The subcommittee was created as a
result OF a resolution introduced at the
suggestion Of John P White, president
Of the United Mine Workers. at the
joint conference in Philadelphia, on
April 10, and IL IS the contention Of
the operators that the tentative agree
ment submitted by the joint subcOm-
mittees, having as II does the indOrse-
ment Of president White. morally OBJ
ligates the miners to vote for its &C
ceptance- The subcommittee report
was unanimous
In closing a statement on the mat
ter the mine operators say;
1T cannot be expected that the op-
orators viii have any further prOpO-
sitiOn TO advance in view Of the great
care and thOrOughness with which this
one was prepared by the subcommit-
tees. and in view OF the authority and
standing of the mine workers repre-
scntatiTes who took part in its prepar-
alton"
Despite the seeming finality Of
this statement. however, 1t is general
y believed that a refusal by the min
ers' convention to ratify the agreement
viii be followed by further negotia-
tons between the mine workers and
the operators.