The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-10-17
MINE OWNERS WILL
NOT REOPEN WAGE
SCALE CON TR0vERSY
WITH COAL MINERS
OPERATIVES DECLINE TO OBEY
ORDER OF UNION PRESIDENT
AND RETURN TO WORK;
BOTH DETERMINED

Oklahoma City, Oct. 16.--The Okla
homa Coal Operators Association has
declined to reopen the present wage
scale discussion with Oklahoma coal
miners and will refuse TO enter any
more conferences 10 negotiate pres
ent disagreements Dorset Carter,
president of the organization, said in
letter to John r. Wilkinson. presi-
dent of district 81. L. NJ. w. A,
made public here today.
Mr.. Carter in his letter to Mr..
Wilkinson, said that it was because
the miners had broken their contracts
with the operators and gone, on va
cation strikes" that the conference
which was scheduled with the min
ers yesterday had been cancelled,
land that no future conferences
would be held"
That part Of Mr.. Carter's commu-
naction TO the president of the min
ers which dealt with the operators
refusal to join in any future confer
ences with the miners, said:
our directors after considering for
the question of continued conferences
for further consideration Of your
recent demands for tonnage increases
began TO advise that We cannot con-
sent to further conferences for the
following reason:
For over 20 mines belonging TO
the members of our association are
idle because of socalled vacation
strike, which is merely an exercising
of pressure to intimldate and enforce
the demands made by your organiza-
tion. While as an organization, We
are willing 10 believe that those
strikes do not bear your official
sanction. 1t must be apparent to you
that the concern of the operators is
not so much what directing agencies
or influences are responsible for these
violations of the contract, as that the
contract obligations are being flag
rantly violated.
"'No greater evidence of this open
disregard need be cited than the fact
that these strikes have kept many
OF our mines Idle for the past week
and inflicted heavy losses upon our
membership. are indirect disregard of
regard OF contracts granted at your
personal solicitation were pending.
"'While we were keonly disappoint-
ed NJ the failure Of your organiza-
ton to live up to the solemn pledge
made by your International president
10 the bituminous coal commission,
|. O., that your membership would ac-
cept and abide by the award of the
commission. and while we felt that
an increase of sl50 per day 20 day
men was excessive and uncallcd for
and particularly discriminatory against
southwestern mines. whore the cost
OF day labor per ton Is very much
greater than In the eastern fields,
under protest we acceded to the de-
mands and granted this increase. of-
fcctive August l6, 1920.
"'we must therefore, respectful
", but very positively docinc to re-
open the present wagc-scalc and we
desire 10 impress upon you at this
time the obligation which rests upon
you and your fellow officers Of dis
trict No, Il. and upon the rank md
fllc OF your membership, To 1.-Two up
to their solemn contract obligations
as further flagrant disregard Of your
contract and entering upon punitive
strikes by the shutting down Of mines.
can have no other effect than to
Continued on PuYc Two)