New-York tribune., 1912-03-14
Would Mean s2S,oOooOO Yearly.


The advance in wages demanded would
amount 10 more than >2S,0V0, On0 annually. 70
which would have 10 be added the sub
stantial increase due 10 the operation OF
the sliding scale. which now gives the
mine workers a participation in advancing
prices. II is ont of the question for the
operators 10 advance wages unless they can
in some manner realize from the sale of
coal produced sum equal to the increase
in wages.
The marked increase in the cost Of pro
duCing anthracite coal In recent ycdIS-due
to the higher cost Of labor and materials.
the exhaustion Of the thicker veins. the
working OF thinner veins and other con
dltons which increase in cost has been
only partly offset by the inCl eased prCduC-
tion-has reduced the margin Of proit 10 II
| point beyond which further reduction is i'm
possible
The cost Of fuel is such sn important ele-
ment, not only 10 the individual consumer.
hut in the industrial life of tho country,
that II would not he fair 10 the public or
to the wage eaIners In other industries -
advance the price per ton paid for mining
and thereby necessarily advance the price
Of coal
An inspection Of the time sheets al the
breakers shows that while the miners
lahorer Is fully employed through the work
ing period, the contract miner is often in
the mine only a few hours a dav, and does
not average throughout the working wear
more than FIVE to seven hours day Of
actual work.
Is thus offered for a substantial increase
in the earnings Of the miners were they to
avail themselves Of II. and that n obtain
such increase II is not necessary 90 resort
to an increase In the rate.
Our proposition is that the present agree
meut between m" anthracite mine work
eTs and the operators be continued for
and during further term ~ three years
from the first day Of April 1912 This agree
mcnt embraces the entire findings Of the
Anthracite coal strike Commission. TO-
gother with the various notifications made
in 1n06 and iH0A OF which some were made
At your request and others were effected hv
the operators on their own initiative
We urge careful consideration of our
nronosition and It's acceptance hv Won TO
act othe wise would not only benefit q rival
industry. but would bring about a condition
Of affairs I'm the anthracite region which
the experiences Of the past have proved 10
he most unfortunate Our offer 10 continue
the present agreement seems to he All that
the present industrial conditions will war
rant
We feel that We cannot he parties n the
termination of an arrangement which has
made the anthracit" region, for all the
interests involved, one Of the most prosper
ous industrial districts In the country. car
Tying It through a panic and the resulting
depressior with less Of friction or suffering
than was experienced in any other section.
We trdst that your demands viii be- with
drawn and that the prosperity which has so
long obtained in the anthracite region will
not be arbitrarily and unnecessarily dis
turbed. The responsibility for a change in
the presei) satisfactory condition of affairs
must rest with you, and We believe that.
upon consideration our conclusions will
commend themFelves To your better iudg-
'"'"'' (sIgneO GEO. =. BAER.
T.. THOMAS
w. ~. TREESDALF.
4. II UNDERWOOD.
l.. T.. LOREE.
MORRIS WILLIAMS
JOSEPH r. DICKSON.
j l. CAKE.
AINAN NAFkIE
PERCY Z. MADEIRA,
Committee Of Anthracite hrs"7 tors