New-York tribune., 1920-03-13
Await Wilson
Action on Coal
Board Reports
Miners Willing to Accept
Majority Findings, Ex-
cept as TO Percentage
of Raise and Hours
Compromise Is Suggested
President May Seek to Set
tie the Disputed Points
bv Further Conferences
Bv Theodore NJ. knappen

WASHINGTON. March 12.--lntercst
IN the partially revealed but still un-
published findings of the coal COM
mission conferred to-day in speculation
as 70 whether President Wilson would
accept or reject the majority report.
No decision is expected from the
President until he has the minority
report Of John p White before him
and that report WAS not completed to-
dsy-but there was talk at the White
House about the President ironing out
the differences between the two re-
ports. Whether that would be at
tempted through a reconvening of the
commission or by direct conference
between miners and operators, under
Presidential direction, was not inti-
mated,
1t is an open question whether Chair
man Henry NJ Robinson. who repre-
sented the public interest. on the three
cornered board. would consent to re-
turn to Washington to reconsider q
decision that he believes to be in the
public interest. En- route to Cali
.ornis, he tarried in Ravenna, Ohio,
today and was several times COM
municated with from Washington on
the long distance telephone.
The miners are willing to accept the
majority report on everything except
the percentage of pay increase and the
fixing Of the working day at eight
hours from, bank to bank; and of these
tTo points they are even more insist
ent on shorter working day than
they are or higher pay. If they could
get six or seven-hour day, with the
approximately 25 per cent increase in
compensation agreed to by the ma
jority OF the commission, they would
be satisfied.
Shortage or Higher Costs Seen
Chairman Robinson, 1t is understood,
is adamantine On the conclusion that
with the world in its present condition
Of deficient production this is no time
to talk of six and seven-hour working
days. The increase favored by the
majority will cost the country $780,
100000 year, and a reduction Of the
working time would result, experts
say, in either a shortage of coal or
still higher costs to the public. Rob-
inson Is represented as being impressed
with the prospect that with a regular
lsing of coal production, which he con-
sders entirely feasible, through stor-
means the miners can be kept steadily
at work throughout the year and can
easily produce enough coal for an ex-
port trade of 100,000000, tons a year,
provided they will accept an eight
hour day. With a slump in agricul-
tura! and manufactured exports very
generally forecast, q large volume of
coal exports may soon be of great
economic Importance.
1t was authortatively learned TODAY
That Rembrandt Peale, representing the
operators on the commission, was as
smuch displeased with the majority re-
port. which was dictated by Robinson.
as White was, but as the only way Of
avoiding three separate reports finally
acceded to Robinson's position, though
ne had to swallow such a bitter dose
for the operators as the retention of
the check-o off system, which practically
means that the operators must continue
TO be the financial medium for keeping
the union mine workers of America
numerically strong and plethorically
financed
Operators Keep Unions Strong
It Is we'll known that the average
miner will not ordinarily pay his dues
personally. into the treasury Of his
union and thereby keep himself In
good standing and the union active.
Under the check-off system, which the
miners have gradually forced on to the
operators. the latter deduct from each
mans pay envelope the amount of his
weekly dues and turn it over to
the union treasurer, thus keeping alive
the machinery for exacting from them
further concessions from year to wear.
Although consumers of anthracite
Goa, may have felt that their interest
In the bituminous dispute was only one
ol' curiosity, the fact that new scale
the place of the one that expires
March 81, makes it certain that what
ever advances In wages or alteration
IN working conditions the bitumin Gus
miners may get as the result of the
commissions work will be duplicated, i,
" not bettered, in the anthracite field
win certain increases in the cost Of
anthracite. W