The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-03-15
Not Much Progress Being Made in
England Toward Settlement
Of Strike Of Coal
Miners.
$ MAY DESERT MAN HUNTER HYREs
American Conferences Over Anthra-
cite Coal Situation Are
still Being
Held.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service
LONDON, March 15.-While Pre-
mier Asquith and the committees
representing the, striking miners and
operators hold their conferences with
out making any appreciable progress.
the suffering throughout the country
increases hourly. More than four
million people are already affected by
the strike and every organized relief
fund is hard pressed taking care of
its dependents.
The miners, themselves, in com.
munities where they can make good
terms with the owners, are becoming
restless and if there is not a quick
change in the situation, many are
likely to desert the main body and
return to work.
In the Weekly Pioneer, Kier Hardie,
+; the socialist leader commenting on
The absence of disorder says:
This shows how complete the dis
| cipline among the miners is and how
worthy they were OF enlistment in the
! first great battle for human emancipa-
| tion. 1t is desirable that this disci.
plined unity be maintained to the
| end"
/ The American Situation.
| NEW YORK. March 15.-When the
anthracite operators and scale com.
mittee of the United Mine Workers OF
america went Into session in the
Jersey Central offices today the min,
ers promptly handed the employers
their rejection of the offer that the
present agreement be continued for
three years. In their answer the min
ers took direct issue with the opera
tors statement that they have already
reached the minimum of profit because
the cost OF production has been in
creased and therefore they cannot
meet the demands of the men for in.
creased wages.
The answer defends the union as an
organization and explains that it's pro-
/ lection is such that the men have no
reason to object to its demand that
union dues be deducted by the pay.
masters of the various mines. Neither
side cared to make an extended com.
ment on the outcome before the con.
ference began but both were hopeful
that some means of settlement would
be reached before the present agree.
ment expired on March 81.
Il Nn
! NEW YORK, March 15.-Negotia
! tions between the anthracite miners
and operators We're abruptly broken
off today. Both sides then announced
they would make no concessions. I'm
less one or the other weakens q
strike in the anthracite coal fields al
midnight on March 81 is certain.
The meeting between the operators
4 and union committee was brief Presi
! dent White for the miners presented
4 their reply rejecting the suggestion oil
the operators that the present agree
ment be continued for three more
4 years The operators listened in sill
ence and, after asking one or two
questions, announced that their orig
inal rejection of the demands of the
miners stood.
4 The union committee then stated il
stood by its original demands and had
nothing further to offer. There was q
pause and then the conference abrupt
j ly adjourned sine die.
i The miners committee reiterated
to the operators their nine origina
demands which they again insisted
were absolutely justified.
4 They first call the attention of the
operators to the fact that in western
and central Pennsylvania, where the
bituminous miners are exceedingly
we'll organized, the operators have M
hesitancy in deducting the union due.
and paying them over to the unior
treasures. They then call the atten
ton of the operators to the fact tha
: in the hard coal district the owners
are already checking off from tn,
wages of the miners the cost of tn,
powder and supplies which they art
obliged to purchase.
"If you cannot check off the uniol
dues because you fear you would vic
late the law" asks the miners, "thel
why do you violate the law by check
; ing off this money!"
In a lengthy statement handed tt
the anthracite coal operators toda.
the representatives of the miner!
! union emphatically refused the sug
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