The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1919-11-15
LONG WRANGLE
IN MINE WAGE
CONFERENCE
National Scale Sidetrack-
ed for Central Field
Agreement

~ NNn Naa0NiAFNN eHNno
INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. l5.-
Evidence of reported violations Of
the temporary injunction issued by
Judge A. b. Anderson of the Unit.
ed States district court, against
any conspiracy TO reduce the pro-
duction of conl, is being gathered
by agents OF the United States gov
ernment which brought the in
junction suit, il was learned this
afternoon.
WASHINGTON, Nov. :5.-After a
long and acrimonious wrangle today,
Representatives of the coal operators
nnd miners In conference here agreed
TO take up settlement Of the wage AMI
labor conditions In the central com
pe,itive field after they had failed to
agree or considering a national scale
as first proposed.
Acceptance without qualification by
the mine workers of Secretary uf La
bur Wilson's proposal for negotiation
of a nationwide wiuge scale agree
ment was announced nt the confer
Cnce by John l.. Lewis. acting prcsl-
dent OF the United .dine Workers Of
America.
AdjournlnR the general conference.
Secr,tnry Wilson then summoned the
wage scale committees Of the central
competitive field TO meet at $3.50 y. M.
today to negotiate new wage agree
ment.
Outside Operators to Meet.
Operators from districts outside the
central competitive field VIII meet at
the same hour to determine whether
the agreement arrived NJ by the wage
scale committees OF the central COM
petitive field will he accepted as
basis for the contracts In the outly-
Ing districts.
Mr.. Lewis inquired whether the
agreement arrived at by the confer
cnce Of the central competitive helf
wage scale committees would apply
In basic form 90 ouiiying districts.
and ar. our men In "a position 90 re-
turn 10 work with that understand
ing"
Tho question was referred TO r W.
Lukens representing the operators.
hut as he said that he could only
..cRk for the western district ami
northern West virginia. Secretary
Wilson asked all outlying operators g
meet separately ut ESQ 70 f9rmLlats
n reply to that question.
Atnils GOyfi In'nt.
The federal government has drag.
god the workers representatives into
court and told them what To- do Sec-
retary Green said "Evcry American
II Interested In the miners getting
decent American wage, and that
thought should be uppermost In the
minds uf federal government officials.
" u takes 60 per cent Increase of
wages. the federal government should
see that they get a.
- take exception to the statement
of the chairman that the demands OF
the miners are Impossible. Let's not
prejudice the miners case before the
public before We have gone into con-
florence
our government has treated the
miners unfairly feel bitter In heart
And soul regarding the action 81 the
rovernment has taken. The miners
have not been given "A fair deal
~ n. Clark. president of the Assn-
riation OF BitumiuouH Coal Operators
in central Pennsylvania. expressed
amazrment at the charges of hnd
faith in the face Of the walkout on
November I, in violation of con-
tract"
"Fnr many years" he said. "ihc
operators in central Pennsylvania
have made contracts with the mine
workers In district No. @ which have
invariably recognized the rights Of
organized labor and not In one single
instance have the miners kept those
contracts"
Operators were ready 90 resume ne
gotlations he said. on the basis sug-
gestcd by President Wilson and they
would NOT ask tho mine workers TO re-
sumo wo x ms a CONDITION OF resum-
ing negotiations.
Operator Rcplics.
Replying to Green's inquiry, PM
II psnnn Of Terrc lluute. said thtt
when the operators ret beyond the