Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-11-15
THREE PLANS OF
PROCEDURE Are
BEFORE Miners
Both Workers and Operators
Are Told Extreme Demands
Impossible.
BOTH CONSIDERING
NEW SUGGESTIONS
Negotiation Through Joint Scale
Committee, Concurrent Conces-
sions From District and
Agreement Put Forth.

| Washington, Nov. 14.-Demands
of coal miners for a 30-hour week
and 60 per cent increase in wages
and an unyielding position by the
operators, alike, were declared Gin
possible" by Secretary Wilson in
opening today the conference called
to bring peace to the bituminous coal
fields of the nation. To obtain this
peace the secretary proposed three
plans Of procedure.
Declaring that the Washington
| wage agreement still is legally in
force, Mr.. Wilson told the operators
and miners that the people of the
United States were not "Shylocks"
and do not want to exact "the tech
meal provisions of bond when
the conditions, under which the bond
was made, have changed" He adj
ded that eff any great change is
made in the contracts, the people Of
the United States are the ones who
will have to pay" and turnout his re-
marks emphasized the public inter-
est in the coal settlement. The
three proposals expected to aid the
two factions in arranging the new
wage agreement were set forth by
the labor secretary as follows:
First, negotiations thru joint
wage scale committees representing
all districts; second, negotiations thru
concurrent concessions of commit
tees from the various districts, and,
third. negotiation first of an agree
ment in the central competitive field
and then of agreements for other
fields with that of the central dis
trict as a basis.
After hearing Secretary Wilson,
the conference adjourned until 10
o'clock tomorrow to permit the min
ers and operators to discuss sep
arately the plan which would be
most acceptable to each.
Conflict at Start.
Indication of conflict of the
scope of the agreement to be nego-
tiated involving the question of rec
| w I1ClOI VI WOlhCIo oC-
veloped at the outset of the confer
ence and became more apparent in
the two group meetings which fol-
lowed.
Discussion in the miners caucus,
which followed the conference ses-
sion, hinged on the question wheth-
er operators representing both union
and non-union fields would be in
cluded in the conference, and the
effect any agreement reached by the
conference might have in those
fields where the miners do not have
contracts with operators. Although
officers of the United Mine Workers
refused to make any statement fol-
lowing their meeting, it was learned
that the plan for a nationwide con-
ference was favored, but before any
proposal is agreed to Secretary Will
son will be asked to make clear to
the conference that the rights of or
panized labor are to be protected in
those districts where the mining
unions are not recognized by the coal
companies.
May Be Long Meeting.
The operators, however, did not
look with favor on an agreement
covering all fields. The Washing
ton wage agreement. for the first
time, the operators asserted. forced
the same date for the expiration of
contracts between miners and op-
orators in all parts of the country
Fear Of the nwer of this arranoe.
ment gives the workers to bring
about a nationwide strike was ex.
pressed bv the operators. who indi.
Gated desire to return to the ole
plan of basing all wage scale con
tracts on the agreement reached ir
the central competitive fields
Owners of mines out of the cen
trial competitive fields conferred
before the opening of the confer.
ence and opposition was EXPRESSED
to participation in the negotiations.
Owing to the likelihood of protract
ed discussion on the scope Of tn,
conference before even the demands
of the miners are brought into is
SUI, many on both sides of fhe con
troversv predicted today. Sessions
might continue several weeks.