Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-04
PRESIDENT REFERS
MINERS APPEAL TO
SECRETARY WILSON
Hard Coal Men Seek In
creases in Addition to Re-
cent WAGE Award.

President Wilson today referred to
Secretary Wilson of the Labor De-
partment the telegraphic request OF
the United Mine Workers of America
that the question of a new wage
scale for the anthracite fields be re-
opened to permit new requests for in
creases additional to those grnated by
the anthracite commission to be filed.
The agreement embodying the COM
missions award was signed Wednes-
day by representatives of the opera
tors and employees.
Owners of wagon coal mines pro-
tested today to the Interstate Com
merce Commission against the recent
order restricting use of open-top cars
by such mines unless equipped with
tipples or elevations to facilitate load
ing The hearing was conducted by
Commissioners Aitchison, Potter and
Woolley and operators from Pennsyl-
vania, Indiana, Kentucky and other
coal-producing states were present.
The operators denied loading of cars
from wagon mines resulted in undue
delay of railroad equipment. The COM
missions. order was characterized as
discriminatory and unjust.
A. NJ. Liveright of Clearfield. Pa,
representing various wagon leaders
associations, said the delay complained
of was due to the practice of the rail-
roads in many instances in giving the
railroad mines a weeks supply of cars
In advance. He charged that the New
York Central railroad was discriminat-
ing in favor Of railroad mines in CEN
trail Pennsylvania.
Asks M to True Conditions.
Inquiries as to the real seriousness
n H. ct f<rv~< <f~v, IT, n{k .;y,.
ing districts of Pennsylvania is being
Labor. Hugh L. KervBn, director of
conciliation. at the request of Secre-
tary Wilson. today dispatched tele-
grams to the secretaries of several
mine districts reported affected by the
unauthorized" strike, requesting in
formation as to the number of men out
and when they are expected to return
to work Mr.. Kerwin held the opinion
today that the men will be back at
work Tuesday morning.
In district I, situated near Scranton.
IS per cent OF the anthracite workers
are out. or about 10000 men, officials
said today. Practically all these men
win be back at work Tuesday. 4 was
believed. The three expert coal men
ordered put at the disposal of the De-
partment Of Labor in case of emerg-
ency are in Washington waiting to be
called upon and II they are needed
coal regions
- ApreaI te Presidesf.
SCRANTON. Pa. Sentetnher 4-An.
thraeite mine workers through their
union officers have appealed to Pre6f-
dent Wilson to reopen the wage con.
tract sfgned Thursday for the purpose
Of remedying the .fnequities of the
award recently approved by President
It b estimated that about 100. zoe
mine workers throughout the anthra-
cite regions have quit work because,
1t is declared, they are not satisfied
with the terms Of the coal commits
sion's award, which gave the antfra-4
cite men Increases ranging from II
to sz5H per cent, whereas the miners
asked for a uniform advance of about
"a per cent for the several classes OF
workers.
A long telegram was also sent to-
Secretary of Labor Wilson embodyinE
the appeal sent to the President and.
urging the Secretary to exercise the
wage scale meeting held. The tele-
gram to the President says, in part:
TeleEram In Part.
"Our request that the wage scale be
reopened is not only based upon the
belief that the award of the commits
sion is inadequate. but also in view
Of what has transpired recently in
the bituminops coal mining Industry
wherein you directed that q meeting
of the REPRESENTATIVES of the United
Mine Workers Of America and the rep
resentatives Of the various coal ope4-
ators associations comprising the CEN
trail competitive field of illinois,. In
diana. Ohio and western Pennsylvania
be held for the purpose of remedyine
the existing inequalities in the award
Of the bituminous- coal commission
Such meetings have been held and
In obedience to your instructions those
districts have Strengthened out their
differences by increasing the day
wage $1.50 per day, which makes the
skilled day workers with minimum
of approximately 81 per day for COM
mon labor in. the four states men,
toned.
The minimum rate in the anthracite
region under the award is 1920 per
day. and skilled company miners APP
proximately $3.50. and the anthracite
contract miners did receive approximate
ly 13 per cent less than the bituminous
miners received from the bituminous
coal commission. therefore. the differ
entails being widaned to greater ex-
tent than ever before are contributing
factors to the present state of unrest.
Similar Action Taken.
''The custom has been that whenever
voluntary increases have been granted
during the life Of agreements in the
bituminous districts similar action has
always been taken in the anthracite re-
gion.
However. in the process of our
orderly method of adjusting such
differences. the representatives of the
United Mine Workers of America
most respectfully request that you
direct that such a meeting be held fcr
the purpose herein set forth"
So far as can be learned the gen.
eral scale committee took no action
today to have the workers return to
work. It was said the question of
getting the men back would be left
to local officers in the various mining
communities. The union has issued
no strike order and union leaders de-
clare the action of most of the men
in staying away from the mines was
done without any authorization from
the organization.
Mine officials say they do not look
for any improvement in coal produc-
tion until after Labor day The men
who are idle say they are on "vaca-
tion." They do not admit they are
on strike.
Ohio Coal Distribution
= Agreement Is Reached
CLEVELAND. Ohio. September A.