The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-02-15
PRESIDENT THINKS BOND ISSUE IMPRACTICABLE FOR BONU
NATION WIDE COAL STRIKE IS
THREATENED TO BEGIN APRIL |
Proposed at Special Convention
of Both Bituminous and An
thracite Union Miners.
(sy The AssOeIated Prestl

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. IA
Threat of nation VIDE coal strike on
April l of both bituminous and anthra-
cite miners was proposed today to the
special convention of the United Mine
Workers of America by the union's
scale committee as the weapon to pre-
serve present basic wages for soft coal
miners and win increases for the an
thracite workers.
AS soon as the report was presented
the convention adjourned by an almost
unanimous vote until tomorrow, with
out any action or debate on the scale
proposal. Likewise, the threatened
fight in behalf of Alexander Howat,
the Kansas leader who was expelled
from the union, failed to come up be-
fore the two thousand delegates, but
it was said, it might develop later
While no debate developed in the
convention over the scale committee
report, which included a small set of
demands and a policy for action by
the convention, the delegates held in
formal conferences throughout the
day, debating the various proposals.
Apparently the majority view coin
cided with that of the union officials
who were said authoritatively to have
sought by the report to win public
opinion to the miners and also force
the coal operators into a joint wage
conference with the union.
In brief, the committee demands
included the following: Refusal to ac-
cept any wage reduction in the soft
coal fields, the fight being to preserve
present basic scales without any gen.
eral increase, adjustment of ineauita-
BILE differentials within and between
districts eutailiug wage advances for
some miners; increase of 20 per cent
in wages for anthracite tonnage
and 81 a day for day laborers; aboIi-
ton of the automatic penalty clause
for mining miners or operators violat-
ing working agreements; limitation Of
khe eight hour day to the time of entry
and exit from the mine; pay and one
half for overtime; double pay for
Sunday and holiday work, and weekly,
instead of bi-weelly or monthly pay.
AS a preface to the demands the re-
port declared any wage cuts would
reduce miners pay so as to bring
poverty, suffering and degradation
in many mining localities and added,
I'VE do not believe the public asks
that its fuel needs be supplied at the
expense of a degraded citizenship"
AS an addendum to the demands the
report declared as a statement of pol
icy that the coal operators must con-
tinue joint wage conferences with the
union or stand publicly charged with
breach of contract, a provision of the
existing agreement being cited as COM
mitting both miners and operators to
joint negotiations this year. After di-
recting that further efforts be made
to get conferences, the report referred
to all agreements ending on March
81, and made this declaration:
In the event no agreement is reached
by April l, we declare in favor Of
general suspension of mining opera
tions. such action being subject to a
referendum vote of the membership Of
the United Mine Workers of America,
such referendum vote to be held prior
to March 81"