Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-01
MINERS AND OPERATORS IN
AGREEMENT ON WAGES
AND CONDITIONS.
OF WILSON
COMMISSION ACCEPTED
Pay and Prices Raised In Two.Ysar
Agreement Effective Today-Msans
100000, 900 Increase in Pay and
Corresponding Advance In Fuel
Prices to Consumers.

for a new wage agreement ior tho o'-
luminous coal miners closed late yes
terday when the general scale COM
mittee Of operators aud miners OF the
central competitive Noid ratified q
contract embodyiag the award OK
President Wilson's coal commission.
This new agreement. which In
wolves a wage increase Of per cent
became effective this morning and
will continue in force for a period OK
two years.
One of the features OF the new con-
tract is a clause which provides that
all Internal differences" In the va
rious districts of the bituminous coal
field will be settled by the district Of
ficers of the mine workers and opera
tors.
Miners Are Protected.
There must be nothing done, now
ever. in adjusting these matters that
will increase the cost Of production or
decrease the earning capacity OF the
mine workers.
The new agreement also con-
dennis" the bonus system now used
by operators in competing with each
other for employees.
The contract provides that all
agreements in various districts
should contain penalty" clause FOR
any "stoppage of work. or unauthor-
lied strikes.
The international officers Of the
United Mine Workers also agree TO
make the agreement binding in every
detail.
The eight hour day as now in ef-
feet in the soft coal regions is con-
tinued by the new agreement.
Immediately upon adoption OF the
contract by unanimous vote OF the
members Of the scale committee 1t
was signed by the international Of
fcers of the United Mine Workers,
John L. Lewis, president; Phillip
Murray. vice president, and William
Green, secretary and treasurer: and
by two operators and two miners Of
each of the four states OF the central
competitive field-Indiana, Ohio. I'LL
nois and Pennsylvania.
Representatives of the mine opera
tors OF West Virginia, Kentucky. and
other outlying districts, not included
in the central competitive field. i'm
mediately announced that they also
| would put into effect the new con-
tract in their territory.
Means $2oo, 900 900 Raise.
Wage increases tota,:ng approxi-
mately s20O,ooo,o 900 annually are
| granted the mine workers in the new
agreement, which affects about 4oo,-
900 soft coal diggers.
Despite the contention OF workers
that increases should be borne by the
operators without additional costs to
| the public. the mine owners tonight
reiterated their announcement that
present coal prices will be boosted
from SIS cents to $50 per ton at the
mines, Murray characterized the pro-
posed increases In coal prices as "ex-
aegerated and uncalled for"
Representatives Of the miners also
produced statistics to show the In
icreases were "unwarranted." they
declared that present prices were
eunwarranted.' They declared that
present prices were mo reflection OF
what the miners received In In
icreases." as the total increase to the
men since 1913 was only ~ cents pei
ton while the increase in the cost OF
coal averages from $1.11 before th'
war to s2.7o."
Garfield View Ignored.
Mine workers asserted that al
Tho Fuel Administrator .Garhelo
declared the operators could Absorb
the IA per cent he awarded the min
jers without increasing the price OF
coal to the consumer the mine own
Iers had boosted their prices accord.
ingly.
i Copies Of the new agreement were
ordered printed and will be maile1
lout to the various districts immedi,
ately. President lewis announce
last night that he would speed up ne
lgotiations for a new wage agreement
4 for anthracite minors. He said NJ
4 would attend to lays conference OF tht
subcommittee Of miners and opeiat.
ors appointed to make this new con-
tract.