Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-04-26
All Negotiations Broken off
Between Men and
Operators
REFUSAL OF DEMANDS
Decision of the Employees Will Come
at the Pottsville Convention to Be
Held May 2
---. W.

New York, April 26.-Efforts to
harmonize the demands Of the anth-.
racite coal miners and concessions Of
fered by the operators were broken
off Yesterday after more than eight
weeks of almost continuous discus
sion, by a joint subcommittee re-
presenting both employees and miners.
Predictions were made by members
! of the miners general board that the
Tri-District convention to be held at
Pottsville, Pa, May 2, would vote in
favor of strike. The joint sub-com-
mittee, it was announced, gave up
| the task of trying to reach an agree
ment only after it was found that
not one of the II essential demands
i of the miners had been favora5ly re
| ceived by the operators.
While official statements were lack
! ing as to details of the counter-pro-
posal submitted by the operators, be-
cause of decision by the joint sub
committee not to divulge them, il
was admitted that the operators re-
fused to recognize the miners union
or to consider more than 5 per
| cent. increase in wages.
The General Board of the miners
will convene here today to receive
the report of the subcommittee, at
ter which joint conference will DC
held Thursday. Whether negotiations
will be renewed with a view to reach
ing a peaceful settlement of the diff
ferences will depend largely upon {
disposition on the part of one side
or the other to offer further conces'
sions, it is said by those who have
been participating in the discussions
The consensus of opinion among re-
representatives. Of the miners, however
was that strike would be inevitable
There are 10000 men employed II
the anthracite field. and of these 125,
900 are said to be members of the
union.
The demands of the miners provide
for an eight-hour day and a new
working agreement to be entered in
to, between the miners and operators
for period of two years, an in.
crease of 20 per cent, in wages, with
time and half for overtime anc
double time for Sundays and holi.
days, and a general revision of work.
ing conditions.
Pittsburgh, Pa, April 26- Over
100000 persons employed by 80 in.
dustrial corporations in the Pitts
burgh district are now on strike and
barring complete surrender on the
part of many other large employers
of labor, the number of strikers is
expected to reach 100000 within Il
week.
So critical has become the situation
an dso fearful are the county authori-
ties that they will not be able to
cope with trouble, should it arise, that
Adjt. Gen. Thomas j. Stewart has
directed the commanding officer of
the Tenth and Eighteenth Infantry
regiments, and a cavalry troop of
the National Guard to prepare for
mobilization for strike duty. Wheth-
er these troops will be called out de-
pends entirely on Gov. Martin G..
Brumbaugh.
The most important development
in the big strike was the announce
ment yesterday that 1000 street car
employees would walk out on May !
unless their demands, made some
time ago, on the Pittsburgh Rail-
way, are granted. The men are ask
ing an increase in wages of from 80
| to 80 cents an hour. lney nave not
had an increase in pay during the
past nine years.
From the seventy mines of the
Pittsburgh Coal Company, $4,000 mer
| are out, due to the failure Of the
company officials and labor leaders
to agree on the Interpretation of the
:. five per cent wage increase.
In the Turtle Creek Valley, 1S,0ot
}. employees of the Westinghouse inter
ests, arc on strike. Determined eff
forts are now under way to pull ou
J the employees at the airbrake plant