The Washington herald., 1912-03-29
COAL STRIKE WILL
NOT HIT ILLINOIS
Remarkable Turn of Affairs Comes
During Conference of OPP
orators and Miners.

Cleveland, March ga remarkable
turn in the affairs OF the bituminous coal
operators and miners came to-day. and
& is now definitely settled that when a
strike is ordered It will not affect Illinois.
During the meeting of the joint COM
mittee after the subcommittee had re-
ported that it could not agree and recon-
mend a sine die adjournment, a plan
for Federal arbitration was proposed.
While this was under discussion Presi-
dent John H. Walker. OF the Illinois
miners, made an unexpected suggestion
that entirely changed the situation. He
said that If the operators. would agree
TO pay an advance Of cents a ton on
lump coal. cents on mine run and
grant a five-hour day on Saturday with
FIVE hours pay. all other demands of the
miners would be withdrawn. The opera
tors asked time to consider the plan OF
settlement. After two hours discussion
II was decided to refuse to consider the
advance asked, but to stand on their
original proposition to renew the present
scale.
But II can be announced as a fact
that the Illinois operators have already
agreed to the plan of settlement pro-
posed by President Walker 1t is also
known that the operators Of the South
west, Kentucky. Iowa, and Michigan
will fall in line with the advance. In
diana is also counted on as likely to
accept, but Ohio and Western PennsyI-
Tania will refuse and strikes will be
called in those States. President Feehan,
of the Western Pennsylvania miners, has
already announced his plan. He wifi
ask the international officers to permit
him to make demands for mine run, a
reduction in the differentiaI between ma
chine and pick mining. and other con-
Cessions demanded by the miners. He
will then. he promises. put up the biggest
strike ever experienced in the Western
Pennsylvania fields.
Subsca1c Committee AdJourns.
When the subscale committee adjourned
at noon IT was TO report a disagreement
to the joint conference. This meant a
off of negotiations and a strike.
Walker then made his suggestion. Oper-
ator Cole, of Ohio, moved to adjourn un-
I'll tomorrow to permit the operators to
consider the suggestion. This raised a
row later among the Eastern operators.
as the plan was to break off negotiations
and bring on a suspension. They wanted |
an adjournment to-day.
We will not grant an advance" said |
w. X. Fields, president Of the Western
operators.
1t is therefore certain that the Joint |
will break up tomorrow, and
.hen the operators of the various dis
.ricts will be given permission to make |
agreements.
Wilkesbarre. Pa. March 2s-Mayors |
md burgesses Of the principal cities and |
owns Of the anthracite coal fields met |
lere to-day to devise plans by which IL |
S hoped to bring operators and miners
together and prevent a strike
Resolutions were adopted calling upon
he operators to again confer with the
miners and reach some agreement by
which the men will return TO work and
he situation be cleared Of its threatening
ianger.
In the event OF both sides falling 10
meet and attempt to adjust their difYer-
noes. President Taft is to take charge
Il the situation and have a nonpartisan
'oard appointed to arbltrate the differ
ncea