New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
Leaders to Call 100000
Workers From Shafts,
Following Failure to
Agree With Operators
Miners Forced to
Move, Says Lewis
sSBiggest Industrial Dis
turbance Ever Staged,''
Predicts Union Chief
Special Correspondence

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 11.-Three
hundred thousand miners will be called
out on strike on November /, and 80
per cent of the soft coal produc-
tion of the United States will be cut
off, in an avowed attempt to paralyze
the industries of the nation so that
operators in the bituminous fields may
be brought to their knees.
This announcement was made by
leaders of the United Mine Workers of
America after their conference here
with the operators broke up this after
noon without any agreement having
been reached.
For several days the miners repre-
senta tves have been here insisting
that the war is over and the wartime
contract under which they are working
should be superseded by contract
which will give them so per cent in
crease in wages, six-hour day. and a
e-day week.
The operators say that such demands
cannot possibly be granted. They have
the present agreement until April 1,
1920.
Lewis Declares for Strike
eve regret that this action had to
be taken," said John L. Lewis, acting
president of the United Mine Workers
of America, "but the operators would
not meet us and there was nothing
left to do. The demands were formu
lated by the international committee
of the United Mine Workers and they
authorized calling strike if no agree
ment could be reached by November /.
81 am going to call out all Of the
There are about 100000 of them in our
organization, and there is no doubt in
my mind that they will all walk out.
This will be the biggest industrial dis
turbance ever staged. The steel strike
is nothing compared with it, We will
make no further advances to the
opc" ors."
"The conference is adjourned, and
l suppose all is over" said one of the
members of the operators executive
committee.
After the joint conference adjourned
both sides met to consider the impend-
ing strike.
Says Wages Are Exaggerated
eve are not precipitating this strike
because of any arbitrary stand taken
by our side" said one of the delegates
in the workers meeting
owe are precipitating it because of
the exigencies Of the situation, because
the workers in the mines have to live.
The miner to-day is earning less than
$1,000, although the Department Of
Labor in a recent bulletin said that
man must have $2,500 to live on. The
as is the belief of the public, belief
fostered by the operators.
"The public is going to ask why we
precipitated this strike, and / think
this is the time to tell them. 1t is a
serious thing to paralyze the industrial
life of the nation, and anybody who
does so must have a real good grievance.
1t is an act of desperation which has
caused us to call this strike. 1t is
matter Of necessity with US, and not
one of desire. The miner is not earn
ing living wage"
The statement issued by the opera
tors was as follows:
81. That the demands we're extrava-
gantly excessive and impossible of ac
ceptance
''2 That an effective and entirely
fair wage scale is in full force and
effect until April l, 1920, or until peace
is promulgated.
"3. That the public through the gov
ernmcnt was a third party to the pres
cnt agreement and in the absence of
and without the consent Of the third
party the operators had no right to
consent to the arbitrary abrogation of
the existing contract, nor had they any
right to agree to new contract which
would double the cost Of coal and re-
strict the output.
"ln their position as to the time of
expiration of the present contract, the
operators were confirmed by DR.. Harry
A. Garfield, who was United States
Fuel Administrator at the time the con-
tract was made and who in letter
read before this conference declared
that the contract is still in effect.
"The operators offered to continue
under the present contract until April
!. 1920, and in the meantime to nego
tutc new contract to become ef
fective upon tho termination of the
present one
"This would work no hardships upon
the miners as the remaining days Of
the present contract are days Of maxi
mum production in the coal industry
and every miner would have plenty Of
work at wartime wages.
"Thc position Of the operators has
at no time been arbitrary or unre-
sponsivc, but they have Of necessity
been governed by the existing con-
tract and the economic limitations Of
the situation. On the other hand the
miners delegates we're bound by the
fixed Instructions given them by their
Cleveland convention and did not re-
cedc from their position"