New-York tribune., 1922-02-15
BituminOus WOrkersDro
Demand for Increased
Wages; Anthracite Men
Look for Compromise
Railroad Alliance
Held Improbable
big Four Reported To Be
Reluctant to Commit
Themselves to Project
From q StoT Corresrond.nf

lNDlANAPOLIS. Feb. ID. - Chances
OF a general strike of coal miners in
, 'he United States were lcsscned nv =
shade to day when at the OPENING NJ,
'he reoonvcned twenty eighth conven-
ton of the United Mine Workers Off
clal notice was served that the men
OF the bltuminous fields had reccdcd
from their contemplated demands for .
, wage increase, declaring instead for a
continuation of the present basic scale.
1his declaration, which was the CHIEF
point IN the report Of the unions scale
committee on the minors demands
reads:
I'VE declare in the most emnhstio
manner our opposition to any reduction
IN INNING prices and insist that the
. present basic wage schedules be main
taned"
Although action on the report was
deferred until tomorrow, for thc
printing and distribution Of copies
among the delegates. it was regarded
as sure of adoption, with slight if any
changes, though a small but noisy
minority, aided by the friends Of
Alexander Iowat we're laying plans
to- night to make 4 fight on IT,
New Concessions Asked
After reaching its conclusion AS to
wages. the report goes on to recon-
mend four additional demands for the
bltumnous -insttution Of the
"cight- hour day underground" as dis
tlngushed from the present eight
hour day, which is termed "merelv
theoretical'; time and one-half for
overtime, with double time for Sun
days and legal holidays weekly pay.
If this can be obtained through the
"putting forth Of their best efforts"
elimination of the automatic penalty
system.
Concerning the anthracite miners,
the report recommends that the wage
demands made in their tri district
ccurcl at Shamon =. Calling for in
creascs in bota ds : ana ccntraV+ work
be ratified by the convention, land that
we pledge to the anthracite mine work.
ers our power and influence in aiding
them to the fulhllment Of their de-
mands. strike will be called to en-
force the demands.
Leaders OF the mine workers were
jubilant over the situation as it stood
, tonight. They regarded the recession
OF the b'tuminous miners from their
proposals for wage increases AS "a col
ectve bargaining coup" one which
they believe viii be certain to win n
great amount Of public sympathy and
support and at the same time place the
largest share Of responsibility for a
strike upon the shoulders of the soft
coal operators, in the event that one
occurs.
Operators Refuse Conference
I,
point to The fact that the btuminous
operators have recorded themselves Of
ficially as refusing to meet with the
mine workers representatives for the
purpose Of attempting to negotiate a
new contract. despite a clause in the
present agreement-w which was fornu-
lated through the ntercession Of a
Federal commi ission acting at the dircc-
ton of the President providing that
such meeting should be held prior to
March 81 Of this year.
Continued refusal Of the soft coal
operators to meet the miners can mean
only one thing. in the opinion of tno
union chiefs--that they are desirous OF
permitting a strike TO deveIon in order
10 raise the price Of bituminous an
other notch or two, and to extend the
non-unionization Of their mines a far
as poss BILE.
heSo pO1ntS OIL view were presented
by the Tribune cores spondcnt late to-
day over the long distance telephone TO
Phil II. Penna, Of Terre 1'aute. the
captain of the Indiana operators, to-
scthcr with request for a statement
a 8 to whether the change in the miners
proposals would bring about any altera-
tion in the operators stand. While re
plying that he could not answer this
until later, he made the following sig
nifcant statements
eve are compelled to admit that we
have violated the clause in the present
agreement providing for meeting with
the miners"
Committee Emphasizes Point
The scale committees report has the
following to say on this point:
"This agreement was entered INTO in
good faith and the coal operators must
either carry it out or stand publicly
charged with breach Of contract The
mine workers. representatives regard
this agreement as pnoral obligation,
lust as binding as any legal obligation
ever assumed. and therefore stand
ready to discharge it by meeting the
coal operators representatives in joint
conference for the purpose Of ncgo-
tinting wage agreement.
notwithstanding refusal hereto
fore made by the coal operators of
Continued on page sIA)