Evening star., 1922-03-16
WILL ANSWER MINERS.
By the Associated Press.

NEW YORK. March 16-Demands
of the anthracite mine workers were
day. and when the workers repre-
sentatives finished explaining the
nineteen demands. an adjournment
was taken until tomorrow afternoon.
at which time the operators expect to
make response.
days meeting, and no inkling came
from the operators as to what reply
they will make. 1t is understood the
operators plan to tell the union men
that an increase in wages at this
time is not in accord with the trend
of the times. 1t is expected they will
maintain that the present cost Of coal
is too high and that the miners
should share in any def1ation if lower
prices are to be granted to consumers
OF coal.
After the meeting the operators
refused to make any comment on the
demands of the men. It has been
persistently reported that the opera
tors have not agreed upon definite
percentage of reduction: In fact.
there have been unconfirmed reports
that several of the coal companies
would seek to avoid a contest with
the union by renewing the present
wage scale, which expires March 81.
A suspension Of mining is fully ex-
pected, 1t was said by operators and
miners. The union leaders, however.
have taken no step in that direction.
pending a definite answer from the
. operators. The scale committee of
the coal diggers is under instructions
to perfect arrangements providing
for a suspension" on April I. in the
event that no satisfactory agreement
has been reached
lis Mt Meeting.
There were thirty nine mine work.
ers and seventy-four operators pres
ent when the joint conference was
called to order.
United Mine Workers of America
read the demands and made an ex-
pIanatory statement. He was follow
ed by District Presidents Thomas
Kennedy. Hazleton. Pa: w: J. Bren-
dent Andrew Mattey- of Hazleton.
After the conference the miners
issued statement analyzing the
principal demands presented. 1t said.
in part: Nv ~
year contract and that the making of
individual agreements and contracts
in the mining of coal shall be prohib-
tied. The fundamental principle in
volved in the latter question seeks to
vicious subcontracting system and to
eliminate such subcontracts as now
exist.
"of the s1-per-day increase for
day men. it was explained by the
mine workers representatives that
the minimum day rate is now 44.20.
and in order to enjoy saving wage
and a wage commensurate with the
hazard and risk of the industry
the miners reiterated that 1t was nee
essaryz to apply the increase thus
demanded.
Have Gone steadily in Debt.
Since 1917 the wage rates of the
failed to keep pace with the rising
cost of living and as result losses
have accumulated from month to
month which have been borne entire
ly by the mine workers. while the
operator, the wholesaler and the re-
taller have enjoyed profits in excess
of anything they have hitherto
known.
: Five hundred lives are lost each
year in the anthracite industry, con-
and 1000 persons are injured each
year and these figures for death and
accident justify our contention and
are two of the important reasons
why the wages should be raised to
$500 minimum, which even then
the hazard and risks and for the
deaths and accidents which are es-
tablished facts"
The third demand seeks to have
uniformity in rates established In the
anthracite region. and the fourth de-
mand asks for the extension of the
eight-hour working day to cover
such classes of workmen as are
now working on the basis of from
nine to fourteen hours per day. The
great majority of long-hour men are
on the twelve-hour basis and q sit
nation Is created where men are COM
PEELED to go from their bed to their
work and from their work to their
bed and are denied the common or
binary comforts of home life and rec
reation.
The mine workers insist that this
is one important grievance that must
he remedied during the present ne
sotiations. The demand further con-
Templates that all inside day men
shall not be compelled to stay under
ground longer than eight hours.