The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-03-31
UNION LEADERS
SAY NO CHANGE
TO STOP THEM
Government Reports Show
a Great Surplus of Coal
on Hand, the Largest in
Several Years-Anthra-
cite Conference Now Be-
ing Held

\
sociatcd Pressl.- The last OF work I'M
der present wage contracts was com
plpted to-day by the country's half
million union coal miners. Officially,
their suspension of work was set to
begin to might at midnight, but yirtu
ally it was to start six hours ahead
OF schedule, for most miners change
their shift IN the mines at that hour
The extent Of the suspension, however,
viii not be an exact certainty until
Tomorrow, the first day Of the shut
down.
complete tie-up OF union fields IN
twenty states wis predicted to-day t'y
officials of the United Mine Workers
of America al union headquarters hew
and they also asserted that 100000
non-union workers would ~lay down
their picks. President John L. Lewis
said at least 100000 men would Join
the walkout, his estimate including
the non-union participants. No final
instructions to district leaders were
planned to be issued to-day from TN
Jon headquarters and officials declared
any move averting the suspension was
now impossible.
eve are ready for fight. forced on
us by the operators, declared MIR.
Lewis. 1--WE have sought in every
honorable way to get new contracts
but the operators have persistently re-
fused to deal with us. Then, too, the
powerful non-union interests have
tried in every possible way to per
suade THE union operators to fight the
United Mine Workers in order that
the non-union interests may reap a
financial harvest by operating during
the strike
Twenty states will be affected by the
shutdown, and the only union men eN
pccted TO continue producing coal are
five thousand workers in southwest
ern Kentucky, whose contract with the
operators does not expire until April
I, 1923. In addition. forces of union
men will be left lin the mines TO pro.
tect the property from damage
Pennsylvania win turn out the larg-
est number of men, and other states to
be affected are West Virginia, Ohio,
Indiana. Illinois, Iowa, Missouri. Kan
sas, Oklahoma. Arkansas, Texas, Ala
bama, Tennessee. Kentucky, Maryland, |
Michigan, Montana, Wyoming, Colo. |
RADIO and Washington. Western Cana
da also is expected to join the sus
pension but not the Nova Scotia dis
trict.
The shutdown begins with warm
weather approaching and with |
stocks on hand the largest at any time
for the last several years. Govern
ment reports placed the stocks a. o.
100000 tons. a quantity as large as
that which had been accumulated at
the end Of the war--Armistice day.
Nov. II. 1918. This supply, govern
ment officials estimate, will meet ev-
cry demand for 43 days and the de
pletion of this reserve is regarded by
union officials a. necessary before shey
except the bituminons operators 10
indicate any willingness to confer with
the union on new waaf contracts.
Anthracite operators. however, are
already conducting wage negotiations
with the union and a settlement in
those fields j. promised earlier than in
I
Briefly she miners demands are that
present basic wsges be retained in the
soft coal fields and that the anthracite
tonnage workers receive 20 per cent
increase with - day advance being
given 10 the anthracite day workers.
The basic rates for the soft coal
workers range from Sl.Os 70 Sill
ton for pick mining. and the day men
rcccive $50 day. Exact tonnage
rates in the anthracite fields are aid
b. the union 10 be lower than in the
eeft coal district. and the anthra cite
day men rccrisc from Si.so 10 500
= day.
Aside from the wage question. uIe
hght Of the miners in the -oft coal
fields !. directed toward preserving
re- unions system Of bargaining that
has Erovn up during the last forty
years. In TIE psst wages have been
fired By an interstate coutracf sp-
riyinr II aesicrn Pennsylvania, Ohio.
Indiana and llliuois. uth contracts frr
rther soft coal helds being hsscd en- tie
infcr-state confracfs. Tie centraef
questirn. however. j. not an issue in
! ~ authratite districts
3 IN sadifian 90 fcinction in wages.
fhr soff t1al operators have refu-ei
fo eertirne the inter state method ~ {
rentrnft nakr1. kaduftfans prope-fli .
~ tar arrrafcrs Eenfraiv ar1lunf g. !
a. per eert 0f the pfeseiiing scsl..s.
retufn - So uaEes e4fstiisst.l Z
- ranirsfts mnff n 1854 >ne er-
srzsors sise insisi - TIE aist1ffen -