Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-08-20
COAL MINING
AT STANDSTTLI
FROM STRIKE
Workers Officials Claim Settle
ment Will Be Made
Soon.
MEN ARE NOT STRIKING
By WALTER D. HICKMAN,
Times staR Correspondent.


TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Aug. 20.-Coa1
production in this district was practicaI-
ly at a standstin today because Of the
day men refusing to continue work un-
der the awards made. by the coal CONF
mission appointed by President Wilson
Although thirteen mines are reported
idle at BickneI, with nearly all mines
idle in the Clinton and Brazil felds,
as well as the southern Terre Haute field
belt, officers OF the United Mine Work
ers stated at noon today that "a satis-
factory settlement with the day mem
would be made within a few days.
Of the approximately $1,000 miners In
the state, about 90 per cent are day
men.
prominent official Of the United
Mine Workers, on his return from CTeve-
land, made the following statement:
with the day men idle IN most mines
OF the state the situa tion is serious, but
the officers Of the miners are aptirnistic
because they feel that a satisfactory set
tlement will be made within a few days.
THE cause Of this trouble is due to
the unfair wage increase to the day men
an dthe miners proper. This award only
widened the breach between the day men
end the miners
The day men are asking IS a day.
They are now getting SO a day with the
exception Of the motormen, who get $3.50.
The commission gave the day men a
70 Ter cent increase on the So rate, max
ng them Sc a day.
The commission gave miners a fat
| wage increase Of "a cents per ton on
pick and machine mine coal and 20 per
cent increase on yGrdage and dead work.
The day men feel that this is unfair to
them.
They sa ythe yare not striking; they
are just refusing to work and claim
they are ready to seek work in other
lines. said the official, who spoke with
authority for the coal miners. .
District officers are of the opinion that
tn eaction Of the coal commission in
making awards to explosion workers
AIDED another burden on miners.
'The commissions award in explosives
wa sthe cost price plus the insurance and
the cost handling the explosives said an
official of the miners.
Continuing, he said; we know that
mills manufacturing explosives have
taken advantage Of this award Of the
commission and raised the price of ex-
plosives to the coal operators and opera.
tors in turn have passed this increase on
70 the miner, who pays the bill.
Under the commissions award the
coal operators have this privilege.
assuming that the commission is
honest, they do not know coal mining
and its problems, and they have failea
TO understand the coal miner.
I'm making awards TO day men, the
commisston~based them upon an unfail
basis, which raised the wage bat not liz
proportions regarded as fair
If operators and coal miners had beer
allowed to to have settled the question
It would have been done fairly equit-
ably"
DAY MEN IN
50 MINES IDLE.
Day men in approximately ninety
mines are said TO be idle, but officials
OF the miners have not given up hope Of
a speedy settlement
Announcement was made that several
mine owners have made settlement with
day men direct
Word has reached here that the day
men in the hard coal districts are pre-
pairing to suspend work unless tn
awards Of the commission are adjusted
to what the day men claim is fair.
Edward Steward, district president o.
the miners, returned from Cleveland TO
day and left Immediately for Hymera
Ind. to make q naddress at a picnic.
When day men walk out it means tina.
it is impossible to operate, as the da.
men consist Of enginemen, fremer
drivers, timbermen, car builders, watch
men, stablemen, jerrymen water men
blacksmiths, pump men and others.
President Stewart is prepared to cal
a meeting of all the districts in an effor
to have each settle the problem Of the
day men.
He claims the only logical way
solve the problem is for each distric
to make settlements
That method will be allowed, it 1
stated.
Both operators and coal miners of
ficialS feel that suspension of work Wi
be for a very short period