The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-08-16
MINERS AND
OPERATORS IN
WAGE CL|NCR
Latter Turn Down Mems Re-
quest for Wage Adjudica-
tion-Committees Meet in
Closed Conference.
PROPOSAL IS MADE
(By Associated Press)


CLEVELAND, O., Aug. 16-The BIZ
luminous coal operators of the central
competitive field in refusing the
miners request for 81 day increase
for day, and monthly man 10 cents a
ton for pick and machine mining this
morning offered the miners a propo-
sition agreeing to correct the seeming
inequality of the present contract by
advancing the wages of the day and
monthly men the equivalent the award
giving the day and monthly man an
increase estimated at from 35 to 72
cents per day
The operators will consider no other
demands made by the miners The
miners received the reply in a joint
of the scale committee and unanimous
ly rejected the proposal.
A Seven Jer Cent Difference.
Under the award of the commission
the pick mining was advanced 81 per
cent over the then existing contract.
The day and monthly men were ad-
vanced but 20 per cent This inequali-
ty the operators agreed to correct by
making the wages of the day and
monthly men the equivalent.
subcommittee of operators and
two miners from each of the four
states, was then named and went into
joint conference.
John B. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers, and William
Green, secretary-treasurer Of the or
ganization, attended the sub-commit-
tee meeting as members ex-officia.
Vice President Miller of the Illinois
Operators association, said the op-
orators offer would give day and
monthly men increases estimated at
from 35 to 73 cents per day, depend
ing upon the district taken as a bas-
ing point.
The operators subcommittee is as
follows: John Donaldson and William
Henderson, of western PENNSYLVANIA;
NJ. L. Gould and P. H. Penna, of In
diana; E. c. Sears and H. c. Perry, of
illinois,; c. e. Mourer and G. C. Welt
Eel. of Ohio.
The miners on the subcommittee
are Robert R. Gibbons and William
largest of western Pennsylvania; Ed
Stewart and William Mitch, Of In
diana; Frank Harrington and Harry
Fishwick. of Illinois; John Moore and
| Lee Hall, of Ohio.
After being in session an hour the
| committee adjourned at noon until 2
1 p. m.
81 Day Increase Asked.
An increase of 81 a day for miners
paid by the day or month in and
around the bituminous mines and 10
! cents an hour for tonnage men. retro
, active to Aug. l, were demanded, AS
we'll as abolition of the automatic
penalty clause filming miners 81 day
for illegal strikes and settlement of
differentials by the districts affected.
The demands apply directly to only
the central competitive field-western
| Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio and Indi-
ana-but the industry throughout this
country and Canada are affected, be-
i cause all contracts are based upon
the scale in this field
There are approximately 200, 900 BIZ
| luminous miners in this field About
27 per cent of the workers receive sc
a day.
| INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Aug 16-Suit
to prevent functioning of the coal and
food commission established by an act
of the special session in July, proba bly,
will be filed in the federal court with
in a short time, Charles Martindalc,
local attorney, announced today.
Mr. Marti1dale said the suit was be-
ing prepared and was almost ready
for filing.
The bill passed by the assembly
provides for an investigation into the
prices of fuel and food by the state
board of accounts. That board would
function as a coal and fuel commits
sion.
! Jesse Eschback, speaker of the
house. has appointed James Noel, Of
Indianapolis. attorney for the commits
sion. He has been unsuccessful in
an attempt to find a man for the po-
siton of director.
The act provides for the licensing
of coal miners, operators and dealers.
Licenses are being distributed.
An attack upon the bill was expect
ed by state officials.