The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-08-19
CENTRAL COALF|ELD
IS DISRUPTED BY THE
FAILURE TO AGREE
(By Associated Press)

CLEVELAND, Aug 1s.-Miners at
tending conference of the joint scale
committee of the Central competitive
field, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and west
ern Pennsylvania, who held a policy
meeting this morning following fail.
ure last night of the joint conference
to agree on the miners demands for
increased wages adjourned sine die,
after voting unanimously that miners
in each of the four states will seek an
agreement with operators in the field.
This practically disrupts the central
competitive field as a basing point.
Notify President Of Failure.
The wage scale committee caucused
to draft a message to President Will
son notifying him that the joint wage
conference, called by him, has been
unable to adjust inequalities in pay
as he requested. About so representa-
tives of the United, Mine Workers Of
America from districts outside the
Central field attended.
The situation also was considered.
The joint scale conference Of min
ers and operators adjourned sine die
late last night after being in session
five days. They were deadlocked over
the demands of the miners that day
workers be advanced $3.50 day.
The operators offered a resolution
In which they proposed recommend
ing to President Wilson that he ap-
point board of inquiry and adjust
ment of seven members to settle the
controversy. 1t was unanimously
adopted by the operators, but the min
ers rejected it.
The resolution would have asked
President Wilson to name the chair
man and two members, and the oper-
ators and miners two each.
Rejected by Both
In opposing the resolution, John l..
Lewis, president of the miners. said
it was merely a recommends ton and
that it had been rejected by both the
operators and miners when the pres
ent wage agreement was made in New
York last March.
While Ellis Searles, Of Indianapo-
lis, spokesman for the miners, said
early today that there will be no
strike, the operators were not so op-
timistic. One prominent operator said
anything might come out Of the sit
! uation."
luluOlS opera LOTS, VINO were re-
ported yesterday as willing to sign an
agreement to give the day workers an
increase of $3.50, said today they
proba bly, would decide in a day or
! two what action to take.
Prior to adjournment of the confer
ence, President Lewis, Of the miners.
issued statement saying If no agree
ment was reached at the conference
"the entire influence OF the interna.
tional union will be placed behind the
! miners of Illinois to secure satisfac-
| tory increases for all men in or
| around the mines, employed by the
| day or month"
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Aug. 10. -
Strikes by day men in Indiana mines
| today resulted in the closing of sew.
| eral shafts.
| The strike followed the failure of
| the wage scale conference of miners
and operators at Cleveland to reach an
agreement on wages asked by the day
men.
Reports received at Terre Haute
| show that % miners were idle at Clin
ton. Thirty miners were reported idle
in the Terre Haute district and 10 idle
at Bicknell, two on account Of strikes
and eight because of a car shortage.