Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-11
MINERS DENY PAY
RAISES COAL PRICE
Wage Data Bring Protest
From Operators in Anthra-
cite Negotiations.
BY the Associated Press.

| BY the Associated Press.
! NEW YORK, April 10.-The first
"freworks'' in the negotiation of a
new anthracite wage agreement de-
veloped here today when the mine
| workers submitted data purporting to
show that wages paid the miners
! were not responsible for the high
price of coal to the public.
/ The figures were presented by the
miners to the subcommittee of opera
/ tors and miners who have been ap-
| pointed to negotiate new contract for
| the hard coal fields.
The mine owners entered vehement
! objections to the introduction of such
| data, questioning the right of the
T.! workers to draw into the controversy
! the subject of their profits.
| The employees, however, contended
| that they were justified in their new
move by the attempt of the opera
| tors to show alleged increased earn
| ngs by submitting bank deposit
statements.
Read Figures Despite Protests.
| The debate was long and stormy.
| the miners proceeding with the reading
! of the figures into the records, despite
the protests of the mine owners.
The miners figures, 1T is understood
showed that wages in the past four
years have advanced but 4S 7-10 per
cent. while the cost of the coal to the
| public has been increased l67 per cent
These figures, the miners declared
| indicated that the workers wages
were not basis for the high prices
levied on the public by the operators
and their various agencies.
The mine workers also pointed out
| that triple profits have been collected
| by the operators through their control
of the railroads and selling agencies,
| in addition to the mines. it was re-
| ported. About 80 per cent of the mines
exercise this alleged triple control
| the miners contend.
Several volumes Of statistics were
| introduced by the miners to substan-
tiate their arguments.
New Move Surprises Operators.
| The new move by the miners is I'M
derstood to have come as a complete
surprise to the operators. and is ex-
pected to result in a prolongation of
| the negotiations, as the employers
| are expected to make an extended re-
ply to the workers figures.
The wage negotiations, which have
now been in progress since March 9.
will probably continue for another
| ten days. union leaders declared to-
| night. The delay of the operators in
| presenting counter proposals is given
| by the miners as the reason for the
drawn-out negotiations.
The mine owners are reported to be
| agreed as to their position on all the
! workers demands except the one re-
questing the CLOSED shop" with the
| check off system of collecting dues
! One Of the leading operators of the
anthracits region is reported to be
| fight to the last ditch" against any
such arrangement.
The miners representatives have
| already served notice on the employ
ers that no agreement will be signed
demand
John L. Lewis. international presi-
dent of the mine workers, said to-
| night he was satisfied with the nego-
tiatfons up to the present time, and
\ was 'still optimistic" that a settle
| ment will be reached. unless the un-
expected develops.
Says Foreigners Control Locals.
| PITTSBURGH, Kan, April 10
| With the resumption Of the inyestiea-
| ton of the coal industry by the court
of industrial relations here today, 1t
was announced by Judge w. L. Hug
| gins that 1t is hoped wives OF the
| quest and testify as to home and
school conditions.
| r. L. barrow. a MINER today de-
clared that in the meetings Of the
local unions any one who expressed
| sympathy with the admin stration
was hooted. and that, as a result, he
had long since ceased to attend the
| meetings. He asserted that most of
! the offices of the locals were con-
trolled by foreigners and that for
| some OF them an interpreter is neces-
sary to tell those who do not under
stand English what the proceedings
were.
barrow testified that he expected to
before the court
| approximately 1000 miners Of Dis
| trct IA, United Mine Workers of
| America, refused to work today. fol-
| lowing the Incarceration for contempt
OF officers OF the mine workers. Forty
| mines-more than half of those in the