Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-17

DlClOUt anu wal has ubN Dttu illONNN
to displace their traditional quarrel
A year ago a five-day stoppage Of the
mines, on which the British navy
largely depends for fuel, actually
took places and a prolonged deadlock
was only averted by the Intervention
of Lloyd-George who summary
granted most of the miners demands
over the protests Of the owners.
Demands by Miners.
The demands now made by the MN
ers may be summarized as follows:
Immediate concession Of a 10 per
cent advance in wages to cover the
increased cost of living
An Independent audit of the coal
owners books to show exactly whn
are the profits on all classes of coal
over long period Of years.
That the financial relation of WAGES
to profits be ultimately arranged 50
that the percentage shall be the same
as before the war
Payment to be made for 'small
coal" henceforth on tonnage rate to
be established by later negotiations.
That the selling price of coal be
henceforth established by a compe-
tent Independent authority on a basis
Of the standard wage paid.
1t is evident from this complicated
and elaborate series Of demands that
a settlement must necessarily involve
protracted negotiations. The miners
contend that the Is per cent wage in
crease Is urgent and should be grant
ed at once; the other demands may
be taken up more leisurely before any
suitable tribunal.
New Phase Presented.
one of the most puzzling of the
demands is that which seeks payment
for the so-called Small coal" This
is a new demand, and meets with de
termined opposition from the owners,
Hitherto the workmen who received
payment on a tonnage basis-so much
for every ton of coal mined-haVe
been paid only for the large or first
quality coal. Every ton Of coal which
a miner sent TO the surface was first
passed over the screens and only the
residue after the small coal had been
screened out, was weighed ana PAID
for. Ordinarily, a miner who sent
twenty tons of coal to the surface
would receive payment for mining on
~ about seventeen tons three tons
having passed through the screens
and been discarded as small coal
The men now point to the large in
crease in price which the owners are
obtaining for this small coal today as
compared with the price before the
war This price shows an increase
from about nine shillings (S2.25) to
nearly Is shillings C$45O) per ton.
Owners Have Demands.
In reply to the mems demand for an
immediate increase of Is per cent IN
wages, the owners have made de
mand for a 10 per cent decrease. The
last dispute was patched up by Lloyd
George a year ago with an award of
a IS per cent increase, while the own
ers in return were permitted TO add
half a crown (67 cents) per ton to
their wholesale price, The miners
now declare that the owners are max
ing a handsome additional profit out
Of this half-crown, and also out of the
sale of the small COAL and they
claim their share, on the ground that
the basis of their wages has always
been the selling prices Of coal To this
the owners reply that all the expenses
Of mining, other than wages, have
gone up, and that some Of their mines
no longer pay to work. The balance
sheets Of the largest coal companies in
he district, which show great increase
Of profit during the war figure prom
nently in the evidence submitted by
The miners.
Fail to Sec Situation.
While the feeling in the coal re-
gions is at high pitch, the attitude Of
The country at large is one Of undis-
yuised impotence with any quarrel
capital and labor at a time
when the energies Of the country are
30 largely concentrated on war, Wide
publicity has been given in the coal
to an editorial in the London
FINES, which says:
1.-THE argument Of the owners re-
yeals a total ineapacity 10 see the sit
Iatiop as everyone else secs it, They
are quarreling with the men and
laggling over the division Of the eX-
'essive profits which both are extract
ne from the public.
1T is the business Of the owners to
AIRY on an industry vital to The
.ountry without bringing II to a stand
till by internal strife, They are trns-
ees Of it to the nation. II they cam
lot conduct it, then the sooner 1t is
transferred to someone who can the
better"