New-York tribune., 1912-04-08
Believe Wage Agreement VIII
BE Reached at Conference.
TO INSIST ON RECOGNITION
Split on That Question the Only
Thing Likely to Prolong Sus-
pension in Anthracite Fields.

PhiledsIphia. April 7.-One hundred ana
seventy-hve thousand idle anthracite mine
workers and numberless thousands oi
other Interested persons will turn tneir
oves toward Philadelphia this week ana
hope that the conference to he held IN
that CITY ON Wednesday between the rep
resentativcs " the men and the coal oper-
ators will result in a new agreement ano
quickly end the suspension or mining 'ne'
began on April I. The eaGerness snow"
by both sides 10 meet again ana talk over
differences has raised the spirit OF the
miners. and they feel that with conces-
sions on both sides there will be little
difficulty IN reaching a satisfactory Worh-
ing agreement.
When the suspension began there was
strong impression among the men thal
a compromise increase I'm wages would ne
granted TO them This would have beeil
satisfactory enough TO many of the MIN
ers. but during the last week evidence
has cropped up that the union orl'ers
will insist upon some sort OF recognition
Of the United Mine Workers organization.
If the conference splits on this question
long suspension and another deadlock
or strike arc probable. The more optimistic
of the miners say they feel that the COM
ing conference will lead 10 results.
Will Be More Than One Conference.
In any event. it is expected the suspen-
sion will last at least two weeks longer.
as there will have to be more than one
conference. and # an agreement Is decid-
ed upon the matter of its acceptance Will
be left to the men at convention that
may be held in WilkesBarre probably on
April % if working agreement is
reached before that time
The entire five hundred square miles ot
hard coal territory, with population Of a
million and quarter has been unusually
quiet. I'm view of the large number Of idle
men and boys With tho exception Of the
dynamitng OF a mine engineers house and
the explosion Of dynamite on the Reading
Railway tracks I'm the extreme western end
OF the Schuylkill region there has been n"
violence of consequence committed any
where I'm the coal fields The suspension OF
mining has been complete. and there has
been little occasion for the mine workers
10 do picket duty.
There has been some friction over the
employment of men to do temporary repair
work in the mines while the suspension Is
on. but IN most cases an amicable arrange
nent has been reached.
The mine workers have looked upon the
suspension as a vacation. and they are
making the hest Of g. During the hrst
furry most Of tho men gathered about the
headquarters Of their local unions 10 hear
how things were going but after that they
scattered and took advantage ~ the good
weather n enjoy their holiday.
Business Prosperous in Mining Section
Despite the fact that the suspension has
been in force for week and there is no
telling how long II viii last business
throughout the coal fields is said TO have
never been better Scranton, Wilkes Barre
Hazleton Pottsville, Shamokn and the
smaller towns have reported that business
mas been brisk Thousands Of mine work
ers and their families have come into the
towns either on Sightseeing or shopping
tours Newspapers In all the larger towns
have reported largely Increased business In
advertising. a sign Of prosperity,
The exodus OF foreigners 10 their Euro
pean homes 10 wait for the labor storm 10
blow over has not been as large as was