The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-03
Anthracite Miners Slow To Be
Content With Wage Hike.
Refuse to End "VaeatiOns" on
Hearing of New Scale.
MAY LOSE ALL BACK PAY
approximately $7,OOO,0OO Price
of Continued IdIeness.
Plan to Enforce For
felt on Union Men.

Wilkesbarre. Pa. Sept. With
estimates of the number of men on
strike varying from $4,000 to 100000.
anthracite coal mining operations con-
tinued crippled today.
The production of anthracite was
reduced so per cent, half the mines
being closed. Mine officials denied the
strike was spreading.
Officials of the United Mine Work.
ers declared they expect the strike to
end before a week passes.
On Territorial Lines
Reports secured from both strikers
and company officials showed that
the strike was being conducted largely
upon territorial lines.
In this city practically all OF the
large mines were idle. In Nanticoke.
Plymouth and on the west side, the
miners were working. Starting north
of Wilksbarre and continuing up to
Pittsburgh, the mines were closed.
Those collieries situated north os
Duryea were tied up. So far the
fect on mines north of Scranton in
the region comprising the upper end
of District No. 1.
Forfeit Back Pay.
Washington, Sept. 3.-The miners of
the anthracite districts will forfeit ap-
proximately $7.0OO.0Oo back pay un-
less they return to work soon, under
it was learned here today.
The commissioners who have been
called here upon their arrival will con-
fer with Director H L. Kerwin of the
bureau of Cancellation, pending the re-
turn to Washington of Wilson who Is
now in Pennsylvania.
Whether the three commissioners
will be assigned to work in the coal
strike will be determined at the con-
ference here.
Labor department officials today
still expressed confidence that the
vacation" strikers will return to
work without government mediation.
Want Hearing Reopened.
Scranton. Pa. Sept. 3.-Represen-
tatfves of the United Mine Workers Of
America who last night accepted and
signed a new two year contract with
4 OF the anthracite coal commission.
giving hard coal diggers increases
ranging from II to 257s per cent met
today TO formulate a plan for re-
opening the wage agreement and ask
ing for further increases. The union
8 leaders declare the contract just
signed is unsatisfactory in that II gave
! the workers little more than the offer
of the operators which was rejected
last spring.
! The mine owners yesterday declined
: to receive new wage demands assert
ing tnat tney naQ no power 10 90 so
and were authorized only to sign the
contract based on the award of the
commission. Many collieries thruout
the anthracite regions were still idle
today due to workers remaining away
from the operations as protest
/ against the terms of the award.
Union leaders declare they did not
sanction the suspension of mining.
New Scale Not Satisfactory.
| Pottsville. Pa, Sept. 3.-News OF
signing of the mine wage award by
THE scale committee at Scranton last
night failed to affect the lower anthra-
cite region today and reports from
operators in district No. 9 were that
no men had appeared for work and
that all collieries were idle.
Continued "Vacation."
WiIkesbarre. Pa, Sept. 3.-The IVA :
cation" strike of coal miners in district
No. 1 continued to spread today, ac-
lcording to insurgent leaders.
1t was asserted the ranks OF the
miners had been considerably swelled
by thousands of other 'vacationists
from outlying sections Of this district.
Claims of the strike leaders were
met by assertions of the coal company
officials that the situation had grown
Inn