Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-16
DEADLOCK IN NEGOTIATIONS.
tContinued from Page One.I

ed. in reply, to make new agreemen
reducing wages 10 per cent.
I'VE expect to get the Increase IL
the bituminuus section, air. Wink
said. tonight. should the unexpected
happen. however there is little doub
that The bituminous men will also ia
yor a strike. or that the policy com
,aittee would recommend such action
of course I cannot forecast that, az
The paIlcv committee is composed o
delegates from each Of the % districts
in the United states and Canada II
any event the policy committee VII
probably deal with the anthracite sit
uaticn for the hest interest Of th'
whole organization. Likewise a gener-
nj suspension Of work in the anthracite
fields will automatically go lato e
feet, April l, unless new agreement
is reached.
In a Statement to the pubhe' IS
sued. tonight the anthracite operators
through their committee. relterate theii
declaration that they cannot advance
wages unless recouped by means OF an
advance in prices of coal to the pun
lie which they de not CONSIDER "dt
ranted by anything in the eondltloh Of
the mine workers under the present
agreement. The statement says:
.The committee of the anthracite
onerators have. today, met the repre-
sentatives of the anthracite mine
,,,ortars in conference and have receiV-
ad from them a formal answer deciih-
ing to modify their demands. In or
der that the public may have without
aelay q full understanding OF our at
titude we unite in issuing the follow
ing statement:
we claim for the award OF the
ctr;l.o Commission no more than TINS
That the commission prosecuted Tor
months a conscientious and painstak-
inc investigation of the problems pre-
sented to it: that, by the terms Of
its appointment the OBJECT Oh ts
award was ito establish the relations
between the employers and the wage
earners in the anthracite region on
lust and permanent basis; that noun
ing was advanced in the conferences
of 1906 and 1909 to cast DOUBT upon
the wisdom of the award, ana no new
condition is now brought forward, nor
have the facts and issues then cover
ed since been changed.
.sMinor modification and conditions
have been made. some at the request
of the mine workers. and others nave
beau effected by the oprators upon
thir own initiative. The operators
have always stated, and, today again
assured the mine workers committee
that they were ready to meet them
and give consideration to any sugses-
ton urged by them.
..The Strike Commission took into
consideration the hazards of the bus1-
ness. and so stated in its award
Moreover, il is known that the an
,hracite owners have not spared care
nor expense in affording protection To
mine workers. Not only nave Trey
provided the best equipment ahd
safety devices, but they have done
and are doing more to educate theif
employees than is done in other indus
tries.
1.-THE government of the United
States has accepted the standards es-
tablished by the anthracite operators
for the purpose of carrying on Its
work in that direction,
THE anthracite business, unlike the
bituminous is a mixed industry The
production is the work of the MINER
who works less than eight hours a
day. The manufacturing is conduct
ed at the breakers in the preparation
of the several sizes of coal for the
market. The miners in the anthracite
region do not work longer hours than
do those employed in the bituminous.
tIaut sl,a anSt n
living has increased, it must be remeni-
bered that the advance in wages award
ed to the mine workers by the STRIKE
commission was based upon the then ex
listing conditions. Among these was tht
limited opportunity for work, 165 days il
the year, as shown by the average figure.
for the period from 1897 to 1901. Since
then the opportunities for work hav'
steadily increased until in the year 19l
there were 240 days. In addition to thu
20 4-l0 per cent. increase in the rate o
the wages in the year 1911 over the yea
1900 there was an increase of 40 pc
cent in the number of working days
so that the mine workers had the oppor
tunity TO that extent to increase furthe
their earnings.
Ne again emphasize the statemen
that it is impossible for the operators :
advance wages unless they can in som
manner realize from the sale of the Goa
produced a sum equal to the increase !
the wages. 1t IS not possible to increas
the price of the steam sizes on accoun
of the competition of bituminous Goa
and II does not seem fair and ther
would appear to be nothing in the cor
dition OF the mine workers 10 warraF
the advance In the price to the public.
The statement is signed by George
Baer f. B. Thomas, ". II. Truesdal
f. ID. Underwood, L. f. Loree, Morr
williams, Jos b. Dickinson, J. l.. Oak
Alvin Markle and Percy c. Madeira, Il
members of the committee of anthraci
operators.