Norwich bulletin., 1920-04-01

New York, March s1-The negotia- tions for a new agreement for the bi- luminous coal miners were brought to a close this afternoon when the general scale committee of operators and miners of the central competitive field ratified contract embodying the award of President Wilson's coal commission.
 This new agreement which involv- es a wage increase of 27 per cent, becomes effective tomorrow morning and will continue in force for period of 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 fields will be settled by the district officers of the mine workers and op- orators. There must be nothing done, 1 however, in adjusting these matters that will increase the cost of pro- auction or decrease the earning ca pacity of the mine workers.
 The new agreement also "con- 1 demns" the bonus system now used | by operators in competing with each other for employees. The contract pro- vides that all agreements in the va I penalty" clause for any sstoppage | of work" or unauthorized 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 effect I in the soft coal regions is continued l by the new agreement.
 Immediately upon adoption of the contract by unanimous vote of the members of the scale committee. il was signed by the international off
 cers of the United Mine Workers, l John l.. Lewis. president; Phillip Murray, vice president, and William Il Green, secretary and treasurer, an6
 by two operators and two miners o1 each of the four states of the cen. tral competitive f1eld-Indiana, Ohio Illinois and Pennsylvania.
 Representatives of the mine oper. ators of West Virginia, Kentucky ant
 other outlying district not included mediately announced that they alst
 would put into effect the new con. II tract in their territory.
 K Wage increases totalling approxi- 'mately $200,000. 900 annually art granted the mine workers in the nev
 agreement, which affects about 400 900 soft coal diggers.
 Despite contention of workers tha increases should be borne by the op
 orators without additional cost to tn, public, the miner owners tonight re iterated their announcement thai present coal prices will be boosted from 65 cents Ito $1.50 per ton at tn, mines. Murray characterised tho purposed increases in coal prices a. l exaggerated and uncalled for Representatives of the miners als, produced statistics tonight to show the increases were '.unwarranted. J They declared that present price. were "no reflection on what the min. CTS received in increases as the tota
 increase to the men since 1913 wa.
 but AT cents per ton, while the ''in.
 crease in the cost of coal average, from S1.11 before the war to $270."
 Mine workers asserted that al
 though Fuel Administrator Garfie1t declared the operators could absorl
 the 14 per cent he awarded the min CTS without increasing the price O
 coal to the consumer, the mine own
 CTS had boosted their prices accord
 ingly.
 l 4.Now, we contend" said a miner statistician, that the operators cal
 absorb the 13 per cent. additional in
 crease without placing 8. further bur
 den on the pub1ie.''
 T. L; Lewis, secretary of the Nev
 River Coal Operators Association o ] West Virginia. declared today tha