The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-04-19
COAL COMMITTEE
NEAR AGREEMENT
Miners and Operators Clear
Way to Discuss Demands.
HOPE FOR EARLY RESULTS
Union Leaders Expect Tentative Con-
tract to Be Drawn During This
Week.

New York. April 10.-The sub-com-
mittee of anthracite miners and OPP
orators appointed 10 NJ goliate new
wage agreelnent for The hard coal re-
gion cleared the decks here of all sta
tistical data and prepared 10 give hnal
consideration to individual demands
OF the workers.
After botn sides had presented the
last of their statistical argumen. and
completed their case. the committee
adjourned TO meet tonight.
james Garman, secretary OF the
committee, stated the cost & main
tenance of the average fanny In me
anthracite coal fields and increase in
wages demanded by mine worke.S had
been discussed.
The operators, it was learned, pre-
Sented data attacking figures intro
cuced by the miners purporting 70
show that the cost of living in the an
thracfte region since the beginning
of the war had increased at least 50
per cent. Family budgets presented
by the miners also were disputed
The operators, it is understood, also
submitted data tending to show rents
of the miners have remained Lnchang
ed. Their exhibits, moreover, are re
ported to have shown there were only
slight advances in the price of coal
to the miners.
The workers, it is understood, sab
mlqed thet last of their statistics re-
fut.ng figure preserved by the employ
ers as to the earnings of the coal =
gers and opportgn ties for employ
ment. These figures are said to show
tlat, because of the .rregu arr of em-
ployment, anthracite wO. keIs at the
present wage scale do NOT have an
opportunity TO make living wage.
The miners are reported previously
to have inserted in the recO d data in
| dicating wages of the contract m nei,
had increased only 1913 per cent nc
1912, while living costs had climbed
90 per cent
In the same period wages of inside
ana outside skilled men increased
about s. per day, aid the advance to
uside unsk:lled workers was about
$l.S5 per dag:
In order TO raise the present con-
tract rates To the sagae purcha ing
power they pos :essed n 1914, the min
ers point out that would be neces-
sary for hem to sel an Increase OF
about 302 per cent.
gfll... AZ fitrst ri
the methods by which they are arrived
at are undispuiei by the opera ors, it
is reported
Union leaders declared the real is
sues should be brought before the con-
ference for a definite settlement early
this week. They declared that new
eess41ft act probably ~eaid be IN teata
tive form by next Saturday.
satisfactory progress is being made
in the negotiations, John L. Lewis,
international president of the Mine
Workers, said. 81 am confident that
we will come to an understanding un-
less something unforeseen develops "
The scale committee, which repre-
sents the rank and file of the anthra-
cite workers. will have to pass upon
the new agreement.
Thomas Kennedy, president of Dis
trict Z, with headquarters at Hazleton.
Pa, said the reported walkout at the
I.ehigh Coal and Navigation company's
colliery in Panther Greek Valley would
be adjusted satisfactorily. He de.
clared that the situation was not seri-
Gus and he was confident the men
would soon go back to work. Mr.. Ken
nedy left for Hazleton to obtain infor
| usatiou on the Situatiaa-