Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-03-31

the anthracite tonnage workers re-
ceive a 20 per cent increase with 81
q day advance. being given to the an
thra cite day workers. The basic rates
$1.08 to Sill a ton for. pick mining,
n the men receive $3.50 a day. Ex-
act tonnage rates in the anthracite
fields are said by the union to be low
CIR than in the soft coal district n
The anthracite day mon receive from
1920 to $500 a day.
Aside from the wage question, the
fight Of the miners in the soft coal
fields is directed toward p%reserring
the unions system of bargaining that
has grow up during the last forty
years. In the past wages have been
fixed by an interstate contact apply
ing to western Pennsylvania. >Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois with contracts
for other soft coal fields being based
on tho interstate contract. The con-
tract question. however, is not an is
sue in the anthracite districts.
In addition to tne proposed reduce
ton in wages, the soft coal operators
have refused to continue the inter
state method OF contract making.
Reductions proposed by the operators
literally amount to 40 per cent of the
prevailing scales, or n return to the
wage established by contracts made
in 1916. Some operators also insist
on the abolition Of the unions check
of. the plan by which operators de-
duct union dues from the miners
Wages.
Committee Hes PoWse.
While the unions affairs will be di-
rectcd generally by the international
executive officers and the subordinate
district officials. all questions of poll
cy have been vested in a special com
mitlee Of 116 men, representing the
various districts of the union. The
committee will meet on the call OF
President Lewis who said that future
meetings depend on developments
Of the strike,"' as outlined by the
committee, the unions policy on en-.
tering the suspension Is to permit nc
wage agreements being made for ans
soft coal fields until after d contract
substantially the same as that exist
ing today. has been made for the cell.
trail competitive field. For the an,
thracite field, the policy stands 70,
wage increases. While the policy i:
subject to committee change, it no"
calls for ending the suspension in any
field only after the miners havc ap'
proved a. new contract by a referen
dunn vote.
New York, March 31.-Disappoint
ed over it's failure to avert the genera
coal strike set for tonight midnight
the anthracite miners I'M operators
committee on wage contract neSotla
tons. adjourned Thursday.
Union scale committee men anl
mine officials prepared TO leave n
once for the anthracite regions o
Pennsylvania to insur that thu
evacuation would be without violonc'
or damage to property. They will re
assemble at New York Monday tt
continue the discussion Of wages upon
which the outcome of the strike will
depend.
Although the district union leader
here were emphatic in declaring tina
the anthracite strike will be 100 pc
cent peaceful and without violence O
any sort.E they announced that vir
tually every colliery was being sur
rounded. with barbed wire and barri
cades, at the orders of the operators
Topeka, Kas., March 31.--Devclop
ments were awaited today in this ".'e0
ton following action taken yestcrda,
i by theLkallsas Industrial court in it
issuance of an anti-strike order. TIL
court ordered the present wage con
tract in tho Kansas coal field in effec
thirty days following April /, at TIL
same time instructing representative
of.both the. miners and operators t
5sEspeed up their efforts to veach a.
Increment before shat time. ,a
n TEJudEe McDermott, who dh1iycre'
1.-THE opiIfon, declared that the pur
4 pose sof*thc order, was the tprotcctio'
Of the public.