Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-08-17
General Advance Is Nc,,r,,,Ey tn
Replace Bonuses Officials De.
clare, Announcing Demands
CONFERENCE TO MEET SOON
August - Is Date st Tor session OF
District Leaders to i}c Held nj
Washington
PRICE INCREASE NOT NEEDED
President Hayes Declare New Rate.
Can BE Paid without Making
Public Bear Added burden

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. Aug It
Labor conditions in tho coal m.p-
ing industry for which "thr only
logical solution Is "a substantial naf
WACO increase. To bc applied t1 l.f
classifications OF mine labor viii
bo discussed at a conference OF dI..
trict presidents of the United Min,
Workers To be hcl,ku WuAhmgton
August ~, according 90 lu announce.
ment made here tonight uy Frank j.
lliayes, president of tho United Mine
Workers OF America.
In announcing the conference
President Hayes said it had boon
called TO avert, II possible. "a rapid
~ developing labor condition within
ms coal industry which. n permit
tsd 10 20 unchecked. would under.
mine coal production pIans " TX {
The wage Increase "can be- met
and applied by tho coal operntor.
without the necessity uf an Increase
In the selling price of coal 40 the
consuming public asserted the
miners official who added that The
paying OF bonuses by many of the
J mime owners now "ls udisputahk
evidence that The industry is able TO
pear AN advance in wages"
Bonuses Are Blamed
The labor condition in brief. has
been caused, rresident HAYES says.
by many mine owners paying bo.
muses. in excess OF the wage scale In
order 90 obtain and keep miners in
their mines. Mr.. Hayes statement
follows
The practice has become so wide
81
tire industry Is threatened and tho
coal operators themselves are be |
coming alarmed at their own handl- |
work
The fuel administration is con
ducting investigations o. find out /
the reasons for the condition and |
the Identity OF operators who are |
bidding for labor by the payment |
OF bonuses. Several OF ethe opera |
tors associations havR petitioncd the |
fuel administration 10 save them /
from the disastrous results Of the |
bonus system.
III bonuses are eliminated from |
the pay envelopes Of the miners now 1
receiving them, the Industry will /
lose thOusandAso necessary TO main
tanning production. To say nothing
OF the nations demand for n great /
ly increased output
II wages are not Increased 10
those now receiving bonuses 10 the
equivalent OF the bonuses now being
received by other miners, then the
industry faces sure and certain
loss OF needed man power"
Bonuses Being Paid.
Mr. Hayes then refers TO con-
ference between officials Of the fuel
and the International
officers Of the United Mine Workers
held In Washington July 2S and
80, and quotes a letter addressed
to pr ~ 4. Garfield United Stgtcs
fuel administrator and signed by
President Hayes, Vice President
Ionh l. Lewis and Secretary VII
liam Green of the United Mine
Workers In this letter. the min
ers2 officials state that their files
show that operators in Illinois, ohio.
and Pennsylvania are paying their
miners bonuses. while the operators
" the southwest. STATS and I'm Ten
1essee and east Kentucky pruuonei
he fuel administration % prohibit Z
BY executive st1Er the paying ot ,
bonuses above the schedule ~ prices
" the fwage agreement negotiated
n Washington IN October, 1917. and (
approved at tho biennial convention (
" the miners in January. 1918. such .
In order, the letter states, would be z
'raught with grave danger and ,
would unquestlonahly result IN a q
erious decrease ot production, "and !
would be met by keen resentment ON
he part OF the great number OF
miners direotiy affected II