New-York tribune., 1919-11-01
John l.. Lewis and Frank !.
Hayes, Chiefs Of Miners,
Opposed i'll Organization
by Frank ]. Harrington
Radical Thunder Stolen
Controlling Leaders Adopt
Policies of Illinois Man
in Demands on Operators
By Theodore M. knappen

WASHINGTON. Oct 25-What the
coal controversy is about IS story
that winds through internal politics Of
she United Mine Workers Of America
and around the rivalries of leaders as
much as it bears on the desire for more
money, shorter hours of work and re-
lef from contractural obligations
The demands of the miners arc en-
bodied in the report Of the scale com
nittee to the national convention at
Cleveland, September to %. The po-
Sltion of the convention, which upani-
Ususly adopted the report, is expressed
IN paragraphs Nos. to 13, as follows
"Sccond-We recommend that this
convention demand a 60 per cent in
crease. TO be applicable to all classifi-
cations Of day labor and to all ton
mage. yardagc and dead work rates
throzghout the central competitive
field
"Third.-We recommend that this
convention demand that all wage
agreements that are negotiated to re
place existing agreements shall be
based on siN-hour workday, from bank
% bank five days per week.
Extra Time For Overtime
"fourM-That all day labor shall be
paid sime and half time for overtime
and double time for all work done on
Sundays and legal holidays.
"FIth-That all agreements entered
INTO by the United Mine Workers Of
America shall have Incorporated there
p q provision providing for weekly
"Sirth That all double shift worl on
inc coal shall be abolished except as
may be necessary for development and
ventilating purposes. and development
for increased tonnage shall not be re
garded being reason for double
shift work; it being understood that
this rule shall not be applicable to
now mines that are in the process of
development.
clause shall be written into any agree
men. entered INTO by the United Nine
Workers OF America.
* iQlth-That all internal differ
erenees not covered by joint interstate
agreement shall be referred back to he
respective districts for adjustment
Contracts Expire November !
Etnth-That all contracts in the
luminous field shall be declared as
haTine automatically expired Novem-
per l. 1919. and that no sectional set
tracts must run concurrently for a
period Of two years in all bituminous
districts under our jurisdiction.
enth That agreements negotiated
for outlying districts shall be retroac-
tive and become effective on the date
upon which the agreement for the Cen
tral Competitive field becomes effective
"Elerenth-Thatn no agreement for the
central Competitive field shall be con-
Guided until after this convention has
.een reconvenod. and the agree
nent has been ratified by the recon
vef,ed convention. which reconvened
ccnFcrtior shall also define policy TO
oe applicable 20 outlying districts. and
that the reconvened convention shall
he held in Indianapolis. Ind. on such
date as may be designated by the resi-
dent international officials.
Tacefth-We recommend that I'm
event satisfactory wage agreement is
not secured for the Central Competi
tive field before November i. 1919 to
f'niace the one now in effect. the
international officials be authorized to.
ana are hereby instructed TO- call a
general strike Of all bituminous miners
and mine workers throughout the
united States, the same to become ef-
fectiVe November /, 1919.
Eight Hour Day Now
Collective bargaining has been prac-
need IN the soft coal mining industry
nee 1898. The industry is now on a
aslc eight-hour day and time and
AT Is being paid for overtime work.
The miners proper never work more
nan eight hours, and few of them that
ucn. Even during the war it was not
2osslble to get ma lority of them to
work eight hours day for six DAYS in
1e week.
he actual miner works on a tonnage
isis, and when miners are in demand
5 easy for him to report on such
AVS as 1T pleases him and often to
mt when he feels he has earned
lough for the day The tonnage rate
pay Is now so large that il is posi-
tor a miner TO make as much as $40
$50 week. The high rate of pay is
Ven as one Of the reasons why some
The miners are inclined to work so
tile, as they naturally tend to work no
ore than long enough to meet their
squlrements, which are often modest
other help around the mines is on a
ray labor basis.
l.aborers Get IS Day
"a he miners are now getting 80 cents
davT ]ssbr the coal they mine. aud tne
49,. 1rl'srs are getting about IS q
"t ": miner~ admit that thew did
we'll during the war. because M do1
nand Tor coal was so great and so con
''nuous that they did not suffer from
unemployment. Since hostiities caasad
mere has been much irregularitv and
uncertainty of employment becanse nr
mo erratic way il which the n1t,,c
places it's orders for coal or because
The demand is inconstant
They feel that too many mines S.ve
been opened to permit OF all of them
operating at full time, and they con-
celve it to be their right to impose
such restrictions on The industry as
will insure them steady employment
The central competitive field re-
ferred 70 in the report includes Illinois.
Indiana Ohio and the western bitumi
nous fields of Pennsylvania 1t has
long been the custom for all the other
soft coal districts to conform their an
nual contracts between the men and the