The sun., 1917-04-18
HIGHER WAGE
GIVEN MINERS
Operators Grant 20 Per
Cent. Increase to Btu
minOuS Workers.
AID PLEDGED TO NATION
Joint Committee Authorized
to Tender Services to
Government.
AID PLEDGED TO NATION

The conference of the United Mine
Workers OF America and the bituminous
coal mine operators Of the central CONF
petitivc field. comprising Illinois. ohio.
Indiana and the western part of PENN
syivania. reached an agreement yester-
day whereby the 225.0 900 miners in the
district will receive a wage increase OF
90 per cent. adding from 60 to 30
cents a day to the wages Of every miner
and increasing the payrolls of the
companies by about S35. 900. 900 a year.
The agreement becomes effective inn
mediately. and will continue in force
until March 81, 1915, when another con-
ference will be held TO fix the next an
nual wage scale.
Immediately after the agreement had
been reached the conference unani-
mously adopted resolutions pledgins TO
the Council of National Defence for the
benefit OF the Government during the war
with Germany the entire cooperation OF
capital and labor in the bituminous
coal mining industry. To assure this CO.
operation and to prevent any curtailment
OF coal production. the operators and the
United Mine Workers OF America each
will appoint five members to form a
committee of ten. which will oner its
services to the Government and agree
20 guarantee the continued and maxi
mum production Of coal.
Harmony Is Pledged.
The resolutions say:
THE welfare OF the nation demands
that there he no curtailment of coal
production during the war, and inasmuch
as this conference of operators and
minors is representative in large measure
Of the coal industry Of the nation and Il
familiar with the la Dor problems that
are peculiar to that industry, ana be
cause Of the experience gained as re-
suit of close association during many
years of conducting business under me
joint wage agreement system. II Is eni
nently fitted. In our Judgment. to leho
such assistance TO the council or Ma
tional Defence as will assure it OF tht
patridtic cooperation OF both capua
and labor in the coal mining industry
to the end that Industrial harmony ant
unhampered production may prevail dur
ing the critical period while our countr.
is at war.
For these reasons II is resolved b,
tho coal operators and mine workers
| represented In the joint interstate con
ference OF the central competitive hel'
that we offer to the Council OF Nattona
Defence our support and cooperation
that a committee be appointed consisting
of five operators to be selected BY Goa
operators represented in this conferenc'
! and five mine workers to be selected b!
, the United Mine Workers Of America
! This committee will be empowered to Ell
large its membership or take such othe
! action to extend its scope beyond tn
| confines of the central competitive fiel'
as expcdiency and exigencies may de
! mand.
VIII Ala Government.
"rhe committee when selected wi
! meet and organize and will offer its ser
! vices to the Council OF National De
/ fence. and If such offer ~ accepted will
! endeavor to rerder such service TO TIN
! nation in maintaining the production q
coal and In eul,stlng the maximum 60
| operation OF employers and employee
repres nted in the coal mining industry
so as to meet the requirements ant
needs OF the national Government as Sc
forth by the labor committee Of th
Council Of National Defence
John p. White. president Of th
United Mine Workers. issued a state
ment in which he decia red that tn
prompt adjustment Of the differences he
tween the operators and the miner
was made In spirit OF patriotism an,
mutual accommodation worthy OF goo
citizens in this time OF emergency.