The Washington herald., 1912-03-16
COAL OPERATORS
REFUSE OVERTURES
Negotiations Between Work
ers and Mine Owners
at an End.

New York. March l5.-NegotiatiOns be-
tween the anthracite coal operators and
representatives of the miners were aO-
ruptly terminated to-day, and the menace
Of a great strike. beginning April /,
hangs over the country.
At the final conference to-day the oper-
Rtors declined to recede from their stand
OF Wednesday. while the union leaders
stood pat. The session thereupon ad-
journed sine die. This evening President
White, of the United Mine Workers, said:
The negotiations are at an end. The
operators have even refused to discuss
our demands with us. There is nothing
more to be said. We are ready at any
time to consider any proposition which
operators may make, if it is offered in
a fair spirit; but when they issue
statement and say that it represents
their position from which they will not
recede, discussion is useless. We shall
hold a final meeting of our committee
tomorrow morning, and then return TO
our homes"
Does that mean a striker" President
White was asked.
Il have nothing to say about that"
was his reply. I'VE have presented our
demands which represent the terms upon
which the miners are willing to continue
relations with the operators These de-
mands have been peremptorily rejected,
and the operators ahye even declined to
discuss thin with us. What action is now
TO be taken our committee will consider
ii its meeting tomorrow. But certainly
we have no further proposition to make
to the operators, and no demand that we
have made will be either modified or
withdrawn"
Fear Bitter StrugEIe.
The general belief is that unless pa
cihc interests, which are at work to pre-
vent a strike. bring the two sides to-
gether quickly, April will see the in
auguration of a bitter struggle, which
may involve the bituminous as well as
the anthracite interests throughout the
country.
Coal prices advanced again to-day. in
anticipation of a strike. and there was
n instant il slight, falling of in the
prices OF coal stocks on the stock ex-
change, due to the breaking of of ne
gotiations.
In addition OF the advances of from 81
TO tlSO a ton, which were made to the
price OF coal week ago. another dollar
was added to-day by retailers who sup
ply householders, while 5 cents was add
ed TO the price for coal supplied to apart
ment houses. hotels and other large con-
sumeTs. Stil further increases all along
the line are predicted the instant strike
is delared.
President White tonight announced his 4
intention OF leaving tomorrow for In
dianapolis, the headquarters of the Unit
ed Mine Workers. The other committee
will go to their homes On the 18th |
most of them will meet in Cleveland. |
where the demands of the bituminous |
miners will be taken up at a conference. |
High Cost OF Living.
The statement of the miners. in reply |
to the operators, calls attention to the |
increased cost OF living as the basis for
their demand for higher wages, and
points to the fact that 1881 were killed
or injured from 1893 to 1910 as an Illus
traton OF the hazardous nature of the /
work and the justice of the demand for
shorter hours OF employment. 1t also
declares that the recognition Of the
union is desirable in order that any
agreement into WHICH they enter may
be properly carried out. A general state