Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-22

OPERATORS
AND. MINERS
$4,000 Workers Repre-
sented at Meeting to
A RI an &c for New
Agreement n
RELATIONS ARE
MOST CORDIAL

New York. Feb. o1.-Anthracite OPP
orators and miners representing IT'S 900
workers met in joint conference here
today to arrange a new agreement 20
replace the one that expires March 81
The ten demands presented by the off,
GERS of the United Mine Workers were
referred to a joint subcommittee with
instructions to work out, if possible
satisfactory, wage scale and report to
the full conference. The subcommittee
Immediately went into session, organ
lied and adjourned to meet here at
P. NJ, next Monday. Thus, for the first
time in the history of the joint hard
coal wage conferences, the demands Of
the miners union were promptly re-
jected when formally presented
Cordial Relations
The mine workers were cordially re-
ceived- by the coal operators and the
, best of feeling prevailed during the
joint conference. An unprecedented in
cident was the applauding of John P.
White. international president of the
United Mine Workers by some Of the
operators when he made fervid speech
in presenting the demands Of the men,
The representatives of the miners ex-
pressed themselves as pleased with the
attitude of the operatives and said they
found nothing in the joint conference
to lead them to believe that an annie
able settlement would not be reached.
The weeks adjournment of negotia-
tons was taken. it was said because it
did not suit the convenience Of both
sides to continue consideration Of the
demands.
Thrty-seven operators and 30 represent
atives of the Mine Workers were in the
Joint conference. Alvin Markle of Hazel
ton, Pa, was selected chairman of the
meeting and James A. German. also of
Hazelton, secretary of the anthracite con-
citation board, was made secretary. Pres
ident White, informally presenting the
demands formulated by the miners at
Wilkes Barre. Pa. last September, made
d
cent increase in wages asked for on the
ground that business was prosperous.
Values of all kinds had gone up. Mr..
White said He called attention to the
fact that the United States Steel Cor
poration had increased the wages of en-
ployes, and also noted that in some Of
the soft coal and coke regions employers
had raised wage rates.
Mr.. White laid emphasis on the de-
mands FOR an eight-hour day and also on
the one which calls for full and COM
plete recognition of the union. He did
not specifically mention the check on
hut it is understood that the demand in
wolves that system of collecting the dues
of organized mine workers.
John T. Dempsey and Thomas kenne-
DIV. district presidents of the Wyoming
and Lehigh Valley fields respectively. and
also members of the Cancellation board,
smoke on all the demands, but went into
much detail on the one that calls for "A
more simpified. speedy and satisfactory
method of adjusting grievances. wnlch
virtually would abolish the consultation
heard.
They said the methods of the board,
which was created by the Anthracite
Coal Strike Commission in 1903. were
antiouated. slow and expensive. They
favored the settlement Of grievances by
com n,,+tees at the mines or some such
method as prevails in the soft coal
folds where a commissioner appointed
Nv onerators meets a representative
NJ the men to settle labor troubles.
Mr.. White declared that he and his
co,Iea CUES were appreciative Of the
manner in which they had been re-
ceived. A resolution was then adopted,
referring the demands to sub-com-
mittee OF four miners and four opera
tors The operators selected as their
representatives S. B. Warmer, presi-
dent of the Lehigh Coal and Naviga-
ton Co.. W. L. Connell Of Scranton,
representing so-called Independent op-
orators, w. G. Richards Of Pottsville,
Pa. president of the Philadelphia &
Reading Coal & Iron Co., and Morris
Williams Of Philadelphia, president Of
the Susquehanna Coal Co. subsidiary
of the Pennsylvania. Messrs. Connell.
Richards and Warmer are the opera
tors represented on the conciliatory
board.
A subcommittee Of the miners is
composed Of President White and Dis
trict President Dempsey. Kennedy and
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