South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-16
MINERS TO ACT ON
WAGE SCALE TODAY
Washington Agreement up for
RatifiCation-May Meet
Some Opposition.

INDIANAPOLIS. Jan. 15.-One
Of the most important questions to
come before the biennial convention
OF the United Miro Workers Of
America, which opened here today,
will be the ratification of the Wash
ington agreements between the
operators and miners whereby the
workers in both the bituminous and
anthracite coal fields were given
substantial increases in wages. The
agreements are to remain effective
until April 1, 1920.
Despite some talk of opposition -
ratification. leaders from mining dis
tricts in different parts of the coun-
try said Monday night there was
no likelihood Of the convention fail
ing 10 endorse the action taken by
the officers Of the union. Some of
the opposition, II was said, at min
ers' headquarters, came from the
Kansas district organization. Alex
ander Howat Of Pittsburg. Kans.,
president of the miners OF that state,
was quoted as opposed to the pen
atty clause in the bituminous agree
ment This clause penalized the
men 81 a day for violating con-
tracts and imposes a fine of 50 on
the operators for each man whose
fine they fail to collect.
White Urges Ratification.
John P. White, former interna-
tional president, who resigned to be-
come labor adviser 10 Harry A. Gar
field, the national fuel administra-
tor. arrived here Monday for the
purpose of urging the ratification OF
the agreements. Mr.. White will go
before the convention, explain the
agreements. and the penalty clause
and urge the men TO adopt them,
not only as a fair proposition to
them. but as a patriotic duty in the
present war emergency.
Some OF the anthracite delegates
here said they favored ratification,
would like to see a proviso in the
agreement which would permit the
reopening Of negotiations for still
higher wages in the event food
prices continue TO soar. The hard
coal workers from Pennsylvania are
not making a stand for such a pro-
viso and according to some of their
leaders the anthracite men will be
virtually unanimous for the agree
ments The anthracite agreement
contains no penalty clause as all
questions pertaining to cOntractual
relations with the operators are
taken care of by the anthracite
board of Cancellation, composed Of
three representative of the miners
and three representing the opera
tors with an umpire as the final
arbiter in the event the members
OF the board cannot agree.
No Scale Committee.
The convention is the first in years
that has no scale committee to take
I'D the question Of wages. as there
are no serious disputes between en-
plOyers and employees in any OF the
districts The question of increased
production may come up, but lead
ers said they do not see what can
be done to speed up the output as
the miners are now bringing out
more coal than can be hauled. They
the producers but to the lack Of
transportation.
The appeal Of eastern fuel ad-
ministrators to the operators for
more coal was met by mine owners
suggesting that anthracite miners
work nine hours a day where the
railroads are able 70 handle the pro-
duction. II is said a majority Of
the hard coal workers are opposed
to this as they claim the distribu-
tors cannot handle what is now pro-
duced.
Heavy snow storms in the middle
west have delayed the arrival Of
delegates but the convention. Pres't
Frank j. Hayes said tonight, will
be called TO order tomorrow on time
TO dispose OF the preliminaries.