The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-21


Information from Washington yester-
day that the coal oerators in the central
competitive field had submitted prop
osition to the miners 20 increase wages
Is cents a ION was received in Birming-
ham yesterday with great deal of in
terest both by the operators and the
miners union officials.
The counter proposition offered by the
operators will be taken up in joint con-
ference between the operators and the
miners representatives.
In this connection 1t is stated that Ger
tain operators in the Birmingham dstric
have offered the strikers an increase
in wages provided they will return to
work at once. Just how many operators
have made such offers is not known. but
it is stated that at least two or three
have done so.
The output in the Birmingham district
last week, that is, for the week ended
November IS was PSI tons and as that
was the second week of the strike the
operators are especially pleased with the
record. They contended at the time that
production was 50 per cent, or better, of
normal and the figures made public yes
terday by Frank V. Evans of the Ala
bama Coal Operators association, who
receives and complies the reports from
the various operating companies and for
wards the consolidated figures to the
United States geological survey bear
them out in this claim
In the preceding week the production
was 1851 tons. therefore the gain in the
second week was 1850 tons. The aver
age for the entire year does not exceed
! 50.0O0 tons a week, some of the weeks
falling under 10000 tons.
William l.. Harrison and George Har-
grove, organizers for the united mine
workers. leave this morning for Wash
! ington, carrying with them sworn state
ments by which they expect to prove
| their claim that union miners have been
refused their old job by the operators.
Since his return from Washington Tues
| day MIR. Harrison has been securing these
affida Wits from miners, who state that
| they applied for their old jobs and were
| informed that there was nothing for then
/ to do.
| Just how many OF these affidavits Mr.
| Harrison secured is not stated, but Mr.
| fidTRTONc Sdlu iaSl niSHl liitl hc Idu q
| large number. These will be turned over
to Attorney General Palmer when the
two Alabama union organizers reach
| Washington tomorrow.
| Several Birmingham coal operators have
gone to Washington in compliance with
the request of Attorney General Palmer
that they explain matters here to him
F, They are rot at the national capital as
i representatives OF the Alabama Coal OPP
orators association, but in their indi-
/ vidua capacities.
| 1t was reported yesterday that the
/ miners at Calumet, Walker county Drill
| liant Coal company. had returned to
work At other places conditions were
reported to be unchanged from the day
! before.
| Production is increasing daily. and
were II not for the fact that Birming-
| ham is now called upon to supply an en-
larged territory there would be enough
coal to meet ordinary domestic demands
F., and to keep the industries in Birming-
/ ham and Alabama and the adjoining
states running on practically normal
basis,
| The enlargement of the birmingham
zone by the fuel administration, however,
Will create a demand for several thou
sand additional tons a week