Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-18
ANTHRACITE WAGE
BASIS IS DEBATED
Subcommittee to Negotiate
F.. New Agreement Hears
} Conflicting Claims.

NEW YORK. April II (by the Asso'
ciated Press).-The subcommittee o.
anthracite miners and operators ap'
pointed to negotiate a new wase
agreement for the hard coal regior
cleared the decks here today OF al
statistical data and prepared TO give
final consideration to individual de-
mands of the workers.
After both sides had presented the
last of their statistical arguments
and completed their case the com
mittee adjourned to meet next Mon
day night. ~,
LANES German, secretary OF the
committee, stated the COST OF main
tepance Of the average family In the
anthracite coal fields and increase IN
wages demanded by mine workers mao
been discussed today.
The operators, 1t was learned. pre-
scented data attacking figures intro
duced by the miners purportlhs 10
show that the cost of living In the
anthracite region since the oeglnnins
of the war had increased AT least
per cent. Family budgets presented
by the miners also were disputed.
The operators. 1t is understood
submitted data tending to sho" rents
of the miners have remained un-
CHANGED. Their exhibits, moreover
are reported to have shown tnere
Wefe only slight advances In the price
Of coal to the miners
Deny They Get Living Wage.
The workers. 1t is understood. sub
mitted the last of their statistics re-
futing figures presented by the EN-
blowers as to the earnings OF the coal
dixxers and opportunities for employ
ment- These figures are said TO snow
that because of the irregularity OF
employment anthracite workers al
the present wage scale do not nave
an opportunity to make living wage.
Tho miners are reported prevlously
10 have inserted In the record data
fndtcattnE wages of the oontract
misaer had increased only 4S.S per
0ant aimee 1912, while living costs had
0linnbed 95 per cent. In the same
period wages Of inside ana ou.s,a .
okiped men increased about u per Gay
and the advance to outside unskilieG
VoFhegs was about $1.85 per day.
In order to raise the present con-
tract rates to the same purchasing
power they possessed in 1914 the min
err .,oint out that it would be neces-
0ry for them to get an increase Oh
about 30.2 per cent
The accuracy of these figures and
the methods by which they are ar
rived at are disputed by the operators,
Ills reported
Franing Of Contract.
Union leaders declared tonight the
real issue should be brought before
the conference for a definite settle
ment carly next week They de-
alared that a new contract probably
would be in tentative form by next
Saturday.
Satisfactory progress is being made
In the negotiations" John !. Lewis,
International president OF the mine
workers, said tonight. Il am con-
6dent that we will come to an I'M
ders,.noipg unless something unfore-
sssp develops
Most members of the miners gen.
orAl scale committee returned home
today to spenG essa week end and ac-
ouaint the workers with progress OF
The negotiations. They will return
haee Monday and continue in an adj
yfaory capacity to their representa-
tives on the subcommittee. The scale
Ooinmittee, which represents the rank
ana file of the anthracite workers,
will have to pass upon the new agree
HlDut.
Thomas Kennedy. president Of Dis
trfot z, with headquarters at Hazel
ton, Pa, said tonight that the report
81 sWalkout at the Lehigh Coal and
Navigation Company's couiery in
Panther creek valley would be ad-
1uBted satisfactorily" He declared
that the situation was not serious
and he was confident the men would
soon go back to work. Mr.. Kennedy
left for Hazelton tonight.