Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-31
|M|LL|ON DAILY LOSS
Suspension of Work Will Cost
Miners Great Sums.
OVER 100000 TO BE IDLE
Anthracite Workmen Expect to Be
Out Not More Than Month.
AGREEMENT IS INDORSED
Bituminous Policy Committee Rati-
fies Wage Standardization
Yet Must Ballot.
OVER 100000 TO BE IDLE
s ENDORSED

CLEVELAND, March 80 While
over 400, 900 anthracite and bituminous
miners prepared to quit work tomor-
row at midnight, when their pres
ent wage agreements expire. the oper-
ators and union officials today took
steps to make as brief as possible the
stoppage of coal production.
1t was stated that the suspension in
all the mines involved would cause a
loss in coal production to the country
of 41,900, 900 tons a month and the men
will lose in pay 100000 every day
they remain out.
That the suspension Of mining in the
anthracite coal regions will not last more
than a month, if that long. was the ex-
pressed belief Of coal operators in the
hard coal fields today. when they learned
that the representatives Of the miners
and the committee Of operators will meet
in Philadelphia April 10 to resume ne
gotiations for a settlement Of differences.
Expect an Increase.
Reports from various sections Of the
mining regions show that the mine work
ers expect that they will be given an
increase in wages. probably about 10
per cent, and that they will have to
recede from some Of their demands. The
news that another conference is to be
held spread rapidly through the coal
country and created good feeling among
the men.
The initiative for the reopening of
negotiations was taken by the anthra-
cite miners in a telegram to George T..
Baer. president of the READING Com
pany, and chairman Of the operators
committee.
The production Of anthracite coal to-
day was far below normal because
many Of the mines worked short hand
ed. This was due to the fact that
and oil did not get new supplies in
view OF the suspension and did not
enter the mines. Hundreds OF other
miners quit early and do not expect to
report Tuesday morning. Monday is
a general holiday throughout the an
thracite regions, as the miners always
observe the anniversary of the grant
ing OF the eighthour day to the soft
work nine hours. Mine workers ex-
pect a complete tieup Tuesday
Bituminous Situation.
The bituminous miners, after an eleven
day conference with the operators here,
obtained an agreement which will give
them slight increase in pay. The agree
ment was ratified by the unions policy
committee tonight, and now a referendum
vote OF the union must be taken and a
suspension in the bituminous fields will
begin, pending the result of the final vote.
Reports to the heads Of the United
Mine Workers OF America indicated the
bituminous wage agreement would be &C
cepted generally. The advance in pay to
the. bftuminous miners secured by their
new contract Will amount to more than
$15,OOOO0O a year increase over their
present pay.
The bituminous conference adjourned
after the new scale was signed. The scale
gives the men an increase Of cents
ton for the mining Of lump coal and a
proportionate increase for all other kinds
of labor.
How long the men are to remain out
and under what conditions the referen-
dunn vote is to be taken are details left
to be decided by the unions policy COM
mittee.
One Demand Rejected.
The demand Of the men for a fve-hour
day on Saturdays was rejected and the
settlement of local difficulties was referred
to the local unions.
The wage agreement in the central COM
petitive field. which was fixed today, is
the basis upon which agreements are
fixed for the other states.
The contracts Of the southwestern field
provide that the men shall give sixty
days notice before suspending.
The non-union miners not involved, in
Kentucky. Alabama, West Virginia, CEN
trail Pennsylvania and Tennessee, are said
to numebr 100000. In Kentucky about
One-fourth of the miners are unioniZed; in
West Virginia 5000 union members make
contracts for 10000 workers and 10000
are not unioniZed.
The union contracts in Wyoming. Mon
tana, Washington and Colorado do not
expire April /.