Arizona republican., 1920-04-01
NEW AGREEMENT .ON COAL. WAGES .|S CONSUMMATED
Scale Committees Ratify New Contract Based on Awards, of Commission Despite Miners Claims, Operators Say Price of Coal Will Advance
Republican A.. p. Leased Wirel

NEW YORK, March 31.-Wage in creases totaling approximately $2O0,- 100000 annually are granted the mine workers in a new agreement which affects about 4OO,0O soft coal diggers. The general scale committee today ratified a contract embOdying the pro- poSalS of the coal commission named by President Wilson.
 Despite contention of workers that increases should be borne by the op- public, the mine owners tonight reit- erated their announcement that pres ent coal prices will be boosted from 65 cents to s1.50 per ton at the mines.
 Philip Murray. vice president of the United Mine Workers of America, characterized the proposed increase in coal prices as exaggerated and un- called for, and representatives of the miners produced statistics tonight to show the increases were Hunwarrant- ed" They declared that present prices were mo reflection of what the miners received in increases" as the total in crease to the men since 1913 was but 47 cents per ton, while the increase in the cost of coal averages from s1.11 before the war to $2.70."
 T. l.. Lewis, secretary of the New River Coal Operators association ot West Virginia, declared today that the operators were justified" in in- creasing prices because of the increase in wages, cost of equipment and over head expenditures.
 There is no possible chance of pro- duction during the next year coming anywhere near to meeting the de- mand," MT. Lewis said.
 The Wage Clauses of Agreement
 The coal fields at the present time are affected by this labor shortage. he said, and it is gradually growing worse"
 VVapa cIauses i, +ba ,evx aoraa,,,a,,+ effective tomorrow covering the va rious districts of the central competi- tive fields follow:
 The pick mining rate in the thin vein district of western Pennsylvania shall. be S111.64 per ton and in the eastern Ohio. Hooking, Cambridge and Amsterdam -Bergholz districts of Ohio the mining rate shall be s1.11.64, and throughout the balance of Ohio the pick mining rate shall be advanced 24 cents per ton upon the pick mining rate in effect October 31, 1919; in the bituminous district of Indiana s1.0S per ton, and in the Danville district of Illinois S1.0S per ton.
 Machine mining in the thin vein dis trict of western Pennsylvania, 94 cents per ton; in Ohio, 94 cents per ton; in the bituminouS district of In- diana, chain machine mining, 96 cents per ton, and punching machines 9S cents per ton; in the Danville district of Illinois, 9S cents per ton.
 That all day labor and monthly men (the advance to monthly men to be based on an average of the usual num- Der of days he is required to work in a. month), except trappers and other boys, be advanced one dollar per day. Trappers and boys receiving less than mems wages to be advanced 53 cents per day.
 Miners Seem Satisfied
 
 turning is advanced 20 per cent on the prices being paid on October 31, 1919.
 The agreement ends with a resolu- ton that an interstate joint confer ence be held prior to April, 1922; the time and place of holding such meet ing is referred to a committee of two operators and two miners from each state herein represented, together with the international officers of the United Mine Workers organization.
 Although the mine workers officials failed to receive the principal demand with which they entered the confer ence here-the raise in pay of the day men from the s1 per day award by the to s1.35-they expressed general satisfaction tonight that the agreement had been signed.
 On the question of the wage increase for day laborers, John l.. Lewis in his address to the conference declared that he believed that the coal commission had made serious blunder' in fail ing to award higher rate to this class of workes. He contended that the in crease of 27 per cent to tonnage work the increase awarded the day work