The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-01-13
MAKE SINGLE
RESERVATION
Mine Operators Won't Agree
to Fixing Prices Beyond
War Period.
CONDITION OF ACCEPTANCE

Washington, Jan. 1S.-(A. P)-t
Mine operators in the central COM
petitlve field today told the commits
sion named to settle the bituminous
coal strike that they would accept
with single reservation any award
the commission might make.
| The operators said they would not
be party to the fixing OF coal prices
beyond the period of effectiveness of
the Lever law, the wartime measure
under which the government has
controlled food and fuel prices.
Ralph Crews. counsel for the CEN
tral operators, explained that without
making this reservation the opera
tors could not legally join any price
fixing agreement. He also said the
operators would not make their ac-
ceptance of the commissions award
contingent upon the preparation Of
answers TO a series OF questions
which the operators yesterday asked
the commission.
In accepting the commissions au-
thorization the operators, Mr.. Crews
said, understood that the commits
'sion's award should "of itself con-
stituto a final contract fixed by the
commission"
President Robinson reminded him
that President Wilson's letter Great
ing the commission authorized Il only
to make an award which might be
used as "a basis for wage con-
tnct," He asked IL the operators
would not modify the language In
their acceptance accordingly. and Mr..
Crews finally agreed that the COM
mission should determine that point.
"The mine workers understand
that the award shall be n basis OF n
new wage agreement, and not of
itself an agreement" said John l..
Lewis, acting president OF the mine
workers. Il trust the record is not
being made here which can be used
subsequently as n basis for refusal
by the operator to write Into n wage
agreement the commissions award"
President Robinson said Mr., Crews
stipulation that the commission
should have power to determine what
the procedure should be had cleared
up this point.
Constitute New Contract.
The final award made by President
Wilson's coal commission In the con-
troversy between the conl miners and
operators viii constitute new con-
tract between tho miners and the
operators. This WIS decided upon TO-
day BY the commission and was
agreed 10 by both the operators nnd
the plinets.ssA REQUEST Tor such a de-.
cision was made by The ophfHtota
Miners Repeat Demands.
Miners Representative put before
the commission their full demands as
originally made and refused by the
operators before tho calling of the
coul strike last November Acting
President Lewis recitod demands for
an Increase of 60 per cent. In wages
the slx.hour worltdny and tivo-day
week, for the abolition of double
shifts and for the consideration by
districts of internal differences. and
defended each of them.
"The living conditions and the So
clal condition OF the miner. the envl-
ronment In which he has been COM
PEELED to raise his family. have ever
been too low" he said
The efficiency and health OF mlno
workers. he declared. required shorter
hours, and he added tho miners
would ondcavor TO show the commits
sion that tho average bltuminous coal
mlne did not work more than thirty
hours week In any case.
These demands were not put up
by us as n mere pretenso on which TO
trade" he continued. "They origi-
mated In the minds OF miners them
selves and were expressed at their
co ivention which ordered the nogo-
tintions before tho strike"