The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-13

Pittsburg, Kan, Dec. 13.-The regu-
lar crew of union coal miners re-
turned to work in one of the steam
shovel strip pits near here this morn
ing, il was announced at the office of
the state receivers
Before leaving for Topeka today,
Coy. Henry Allen notified Col. e. L.
Lewis, in command of the 500 regu-
lar troops on duty here, that the
troops would be needed no longer. The
troops have been here during the
period when the state volunteer min
ers worked the strip pits. 1t is eX-
pected that the regulars will leave the
Kansas coal fields Monday or Tues
day.
Alexander Howat has sent instruc-
tions to all locals for the men to re-
turn to work this morning. With this
exception, Mr.. Howat refuses to make
any statement for publication at this
time. relative to the agreement. The
agreement between the receivers and
the United Mine Workers is signed by
c. D. Sample and Ben S. Gaitskill, re-
ceivers. and by Alexander Howat and
Thomas Harvey, secretary, for the
miners.
The contract signed last night will
be binding for a period of sixty days,
or until the making of the award by
the national commission; with the pro
vision that the contract will not be
binding after the dissolution of the
receivership in case the dissolution is
effected before the period of sixty days
expires.
Fourth Prepares to Leave.
The companies of the Fourth Kan
sas infantry will be brought to Pitts
burg tomorrow and will remain here
for three or four days. while supplies
are being checked and arrangements
completed for demobilization- The
men will then be sent from here di-
rectly to their homes.
The volunteers will be removed
from the pits Immediately, except in
cases where the union men are unable
TO resume work at once. AS rapidly
as the union miners take over the
pits. the volunteers will be brought to
PittsburE for final payment
The J. contract between the re-
ceivers ne union is the old con-
tract g. between the operators
and the On. October 81. with the
addition Of the IA per cent allowed
by Garfield. and the further addition
in the future of the award the ma
tional commission on the subject may
allow.
This practically is all of the new
contract The union was not insistent
on the withdrawal of the troops, and
it was not discussed in the conference.
However. the soldiers probably will
begin to break camp Immediately and
depart.
Hurry Volunteers Home.
Immediately after the signing of
the agreement between the union Of
ficials and the state receivers, the
union officials used every possible
means of getting the work to go to
the local unions of the district. Tele-
phones were used wherever possible
and the local officials used messages
and phones in getting the word direct
to the individual miners.
The agreement signed last night af-
fects 900 union miners of the Kan
sas coal fields who have been out on
strike for over four weeks. 1t is ex-
pected that all of them will be back
on their old jobs by Tuesday at the
latest and the normal daily production
Of 200 cars of coal will begin at that
time. For a few days it is possible
that the union and volunteer miners
will he working side by side but the
volunteers will be withdrawn as fast
(Contipued on Page TwoI