The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-09-30
MINERS An D MINE
OWNERS To CONFER
WalkOut Affecting Okla.
homa, Texas and Arkan-
sas, Is Threatened by
10000 Miners

-huShOStt, ohlt., otpl. oV.- -tOilltl-
ence between representatives of the
United Mine Workers of Oklahoma,
Arkansas and Missouri and represen-
tatives of the Southwestern Interstate
Coal Operators Association, will be
held in Kansas City, within a few
days to negotiate a new wage scale
on a tonnage basis, according to an
announcement made here today, at the
headquarters of District No. 21, Unit
ed Mine Workers of America. COM
prising the state of Oklahoma, Arkan-
sas and Texas.
In the event the conference is not
successful, officials of the mine work.
ers expressed the fear that it will be
only question of a short time when
the greater part of the southwestern
coal producing fields or perhaps the
entire field will be paralyzed by u
walkout of the men
The conference will begin the week
executive board of the mine workers
convened here today and among other
matters to be transacted will be con-
sideration of the demands to be pre-
sented at the Kansas City session.
Announcement of the. agreement to
confer on a new wage scale follows
the announcement Of the southwestern
association officers under the date
of last Monday that they would not
consent to any increase in wages at
this time. What caused the operators
to reconsider is not known. Direct
ors of the association will go into
session in Kansas City, within a few
days to discuss the proposed new
contract among themselves
Request for a conference with the
operators by officials Of the mine
workers follows the receipt of numer-
Gus demands from local unions in dis
trict No. 81, for an upward revision
on the tonnage price of coal paid the
miners Officials of the organization
for an increase of 30 per cent. The
most insistent demands come from
the small coal veins where miners
wages are said to average less than
So a day. because of the smallness Of
the coal veins.
Mine workers officials say they ex-
pect any increase granted at the
Kansas City conference will be graei
ed in succeeding negotiations that
will be requested with the members
of the Oklahoma Coal Operators Asso-
citation and the Texas Commercial
Operators Association. The Oklahoma
association represents approximately
so per cent of the production in this
state, the remaining 20 per cent be-
ing produced by operators who affil-
| late with the southwestern association
| The Texas operators have an associa.
| ton independent Of the southwestern
and Oklahoma operators.
Ii has been the custom in the past
to always begin negotiations first with
| the southwestern association because
| Il represents a majority Of the ton
| mage in the five states. The south
| western decisions are always appli.
| cable to the Oklahoma and Texas
associations. At present approximate
| ~ 1000 miners are on vacation" ir
Texas In a dispute over wages. They
are demanding "A fiat increase OF 6C
cents a ton.
Dorset Carter, president Of the Ok
lahoma Coal Operators Association
in statement made public here, sait
that operators had refused the de
mand of union officials for n fla
% per cent Increase on the tonnage
basis on coal, because the operators
were unable TO grant such an in
crease, Mr.. Carter's statement wa
IN reply to a telegram received from
H. y, Wilkinson, president of Dis
| ttict 9l.- u. NJ w. A., in which III
said 10000 miners may go out OF
strike IL their demands were not met
According to Mr.. Carter, the miners
working on day scale basis wer,
| granted an increase starting from
August 6, Of $3.50 a day, and tn,
new demands were made as re
suit of this increase. The miner
ut present are making from 50 {,
$40 a day on the tonnage basis, Mr
| Carter said.
The increase would not only affeo
miners in Oklahoma. but thousand
In Texas and Arkansas as well, Mr.
Carter said.