The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-03-13

New York, March 16.-Another joint
conference between the authorized
representatives OF the United Mine
Workers of America and the anthra-
cite operators was commenced today
in this city with the object of getting
together and settling their differences,
if that be possible. 1t is expected that
this conference will definitely decide
whether or not there shall be a coal
strike that may become as paralyzing
to industrial and commercial activities
of the United States as that recently
declared In Great Britain.
AT the last joint conference, eight
days ago, the anthracite operatives
boldly defied the threats of the miners
and positively declined to grant any of
their demands. The chief of these de
mands are for 20 per cent increase
in wages. the reduction of the work
ing day to eight hours, and for the
operators to collect their union dues
from the miners.
The anthracite operators are repre-
scented in today conference by the
following committee: J. l.. Lake, pres
ident of the Clearview Coal Company;
Alvin Markle, of Markle Brothers;
Percy Modeira, Hill & Company; f.
b. Thomas, president of the Lehigi
1.1n l..
president of the Delaware, Lackd-
wanna & Western railroad; F. d. I'm
derwood president of the Erie rail
road; L. F. Leree, president of the
Delaware & Hudson railroad; Joseph
Dickson, of Dickson & Eddy; George
F. Baer, president of the Philadelphia
& Reading railroad, and Morris VIII
liams. president of the Susquehanna
Coal Company. This committee has
been given full power to repres aHt and
act for all the operators of the anthra-
cite district.
There is general impression
among industrial concerns that there
will be a big coal strike, possibly af-
fetcing both the anthracite and btu
minous mines all over the country,
and many companies are laying in
supplies of fuel AS a result Of this
fear: and also of the British strike.
prices have been advancing steadily
for several weeks, and the quotations
on both varieties of coal are now high
err than they have been since the coal
strike of nine years ago.
Supplies of anthracite are very
short, and some Of the small steam
sizes are not obtainable at any price
Retail dealers throughout the city
have been besieging the offices of the
wholesale men clamoring for ship
ments. which they cannot get.
Coal men say that few shippers
have accumulated large supplies tc
use in case of strike. Some are pre-
dieting that before the end of the
month bituminous coal will pass the
high price that it scared in 1902. The
British situation, where business was
Frustrated three days after the begin
ming of the strike, can easily be dupli
Gated in the United States. the Goa
dealers assent. During this month the
total output of anthracite will be
about 6,50O,O0O tons, and nearly 5000.
900 tons of this, 1t is alleged, will be
absorbed for immediate needs.
John F. White, president of the Uni
ted Mine Workers of America, admit
ted that the situation looked threaten
ing.
"At present" he admitted at looks
a good deal like suspension in the
bituminous coal fields. There is nc
coal stored, and the miners are more
united than ever before in their de
mand for more wages and bette
hours and working conditions"