The New York herald., 1920-12-24
Mine OPERATORS
REFUSE REOPEN
COAL WAGEAWARD
Reputation, They Say,
Would Be Breach of Faith
With the Public
REJECT ALL DEMANDS
Promise to Adjust Individ-
ual Cases OF Inequalities
in Applying Award.
MINERS STANDING FIRM
Definite Policy for Future Ac-
ton to Be Decided Tues
day in Hazleton.
REJECT ALL DEMANDS
MINERS STANDING FIRM

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 23.--Declining to
reopen the award of the United States
Anthracite Commission the mine oper-
ators here to-day rejected the demands
of the hard coal mine workers for ad-
ditional wage increases, minimum IS
day labor rate and the establishment
of universal eight hour day.
The operators, however, notified the
miners representatives that they stood
ready to adjust any individual cases
Of Inequality" that may be due to the
application of the commissions award.
Mine workers representatives told
the anthracite operators they could not
accept any compromise and stood by
their original demands. They said the
entire matter would be placed before
the unions general scale committee at
a special meeting in Hazleton next
Tuesday, at which time definite
policy for future action will be out
lined.
The miners asked general increases OF
approximately 13 per cent. in ADDITION
to the II per cent. granted them py the
commission. This, they contended,
would give them wage advances equal
to the 81 per cent. recently awarded
the bituminous mine workers.
Breach of Faith with Public.
The operators in rejecting the miners
proposals declared that the agreement
with the United Mine Workers based
on the findings of the commission was
ct and IFS. rcDlldil-
ton would be breach of faith with
the public" which was n party to the
submission of the award.
They also held that mediation and
collective bargaining have value only
in so far as both sides adhere to the
findings of mediators and the agree
ments which result from such action.
I'm the Judgment of the operators no
condition has arisen since the award or
the commission" added the operators
reply, "either in general wage structure
of the country or in the cost of living,
which has produced burden upon the
anthracite workers. On the contrary
many classes OF workers in other in
dustries have voluntarily accepted re-
duction iD wages and the cost OF iiNlnS
has steadily declined"
The operators ended their reply by
declaring that this is a time for con-
structive effort on the part OF employees
and employers in the industry. time
for harmony and cooperation rather
than of discord and of insistent demand
for concessions"
Representatives of the mine workers
issued a statement declaring that the
assertion of the operators with reference
Ito the work of the commission and the
General industrial conditions of the
country, which they picture as being
chaotic, has nothing to do with and
does not intelligently answer the Just
contentious of the mine workers in re-
gard to general inequalities.
Regardless of the awards and the
conditions of the country" added the
statement, "the operators could mutu-
ally agree il they were so disposed. to
legally change, modify or amend the
agreement In either great or small de-
gree. and be in strict harmony with the
Interpretation placed on the Presidents
telegram by Secretary of Labor Wilson.
"The reply of the operators Is prac-
tically n reaffi-mation of their position
assumed at the last conference. wherein
they agreed to consider certain indi-
vidual inequalities, which we construe
to mean ind vidual inequalities including
consideration of the extension of the
eight hour day to certain of those en-
ployes now working twelve hour shifts.
1--WE will place the entire matter be-
fOre our Iull scale GOIuthlltcf WHICH VIII
outline the pol cy to be pursued with
regard to future declarations"
Miners Reported Restless.
Thomas Kennedy of Hazleton. presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers in
District Z, and chairman of the miners
delegation, declared that the matter was
entirely in the hands of the Scale COM
Inittee. He would make no comment
\ IL t.v4 s1ff fl.c
tee and was reluctant to discuss the
probability of stoppage of work In the
anthracite region.
THE agreement Is very unsatisfac-
tory" said Christ J. Golden OF Shamo-
kin, president of District .. THE op-
orators have no right TO bring present
Industrial conditions into the contro-
versy.
'"The public has paid for the miners
increase In coal Or ces and they expect
the operators to give the workers what
Is coming TO them. All we ask Is n
square deal and just compensation tor
our labors."
NJ Golden declared that the men In
his district were restless because they
had been denied addit onal wage In
creases, and declined to express his views
as TO the probable outcome OF the situa-
tion. He said he would report the OPP
orators reply to his district advisory
board on Monday
More than 125.000 anthracite mine
workers are affected by the operators
reply, which comes at the conclusion of
a long series of conferences held In this
city between representatives OF the
miners and operators.
after years OF unsuccessful efforts on
the part OF your organization TO obtain
through an agreement a formal recog-
milton of the United Mine Workers OF
America by the anthracite operators the
award OF the commission granted this
demand" commented the statement of
the operators. Recognition was granted
in tho face of former deninls largely
because OF your representation as to .he
district autonomy of the anthracite dis
trcts, and yet one of your first acta after
the agreement was signed has been TO
demand, with lnsistence, its abrogation,
on the plea that II Is not in accord with
taA wage rates of the bitumlnous field"
CHURCH THIEF LOOTS TREE.
~ 49,.