New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-22
Miners Eager to Negotiate
as Long as There Is Hope
of Agreement.
SETTLEMENT LOOMS;
OPERATORS CORDIAL
Employers Promise Fair Consid.
Grafton of Demands and Hint
. at Wage Increase.

Coal miners and anthracite mine op-
orators met in joint session at the
Hotel McAlpin yesterday afternoon to
seek a settlement Of the disputes be-
tween them. Nearly 100000 members
Of the United Mine Workers Of Amer
lea, who are demanding among other
things recognition Of the union by the
| operators, an eight-hour working day
and a 20 per cent increase in wages
we're represented at the meeting.
Everything indicated that the nego-
tiations would be peaceable and that
settlement ultimately would be reached.
Fears that a strike, such as made
Pennsylvania a battle-ground in l9O2,
would occur on March 81, when the
existing agreement between the miners
and operators expires, were allayed
during the day.
Just before the meeting John /.
White. president Of the United Mine
Workers, declared that there would be
no stoppage Of work in the anthracite
field blythe miners as long "a the op-
orators showed any disposition to reach
an agreement.
members and officers of the United
Mine Workers are pledged against any
stoppage Of work pending negotia-
tons" said Mr.. White. ave arc hop
ing and expecting an early agreement
that will be satisfactory TO all con-
cerned. But IL an agreement is delayed
for any reason We are prepared to con-
tinue negotiations while there is the
slightest hope Of coming together. We
have talked peace and believed in peace
and we expect nothing else
Operators Cordial to Miners.
Representatives of the miners COM
mented freely on the cordial spirit
shown by tho operators. The tradi-
tional silence with which operators
have always received the formal pres
entation of demands was also broken
dent Whites speech explaining the
stand the miners have taken.
Since the demands were first made
known 20 the operators both sides have
sought publicity, but yesterdays meet
ing was held behind closed doors.
The miners demands were presented
and discussed by John P. White,
Thomas Kennedy, president OF An
thracite District No. /; John T.
Dempsey, president of District No. /;
James Matthews, president of District
No. 9; J. F. Hollister, board member
in District No. Q, and c. c. Bonner. an
OF ganizer in District No. Z. S. D. War
! riner. president Of the Lehigh Coal
and Navigation Company, spoke briefly
fci the operators, but no answer was
made to the demands. Questions at
issue were referred after discussion 10
Joint subcommittee, consisting Of
four operators and four members Of
the miners union, appointed 20 nego-
tate an agreement, If possible, and re-
port recommendations back TO the
tbirty-seven operators and thirty
miners present.
Ask Share of Prosperity.
Operators appointed TO the sub-com-
mittee are ". l.. Conell. OF the Green
Ridge Coal Company; w. J. Richards.
president of the Philadelphia and
heading Coal and Iron Company; Nor
ris Williams, president OF the Susque-
hanna Coal Company, and S. d. War
liner. Miners appointed are John z.
White, Thomas Kennedy, John T. Demp-
soy and James Matthews. Alvan Mar
Ale. of the q. B. Markle Company, was
elected chairman of the subcommittee,
but without the right to vote.
Mr.. White declared that the miners
were entitled TO some part of the I'M
precedented prosperity existing in the
country at the present time. Oper-
ators, he said, could we'll afford to
grant an increase in wages. He pointed
out that the United States Steel Cor
poration was paying its employees more
and that bituminous operators in GER
tain non-union fields had voluntarily
granted 10 per cent wage increase.
Full and complete recognition of the
union," declared the speaker, would
best serve the public, the miners and
the operators"
Roth White and Kennedy urged the