New-York tribune., 1922-03-18
Must Cut Wage
To Sell Coal,
Operators Say
Answer to Anthracite Miners
Demand for Increase Is
Flat Assertion That a
Decrease Is Necessary
Open for Negotiation
Issue Now Joined and
Failure to Settle Means
Shutdown in Industry

Anthracite operators meeting here
yesterday with the hard coal miners
in an effort to effect new agreement
replied to the mine workers demands
for an increase by presenting them
with a proposal for reduction in
wages, holding this to be essential if
the price of anthracite is to be reduced
to the consumer.
Contrary to expectations, the opera
tors did not fatty reject any of the
miners demands, nor did they say def
nitely how much they favor cutting
wages. They left the door open for
further negotiations by declaring them
selves ready to consider and discuss
any proposition relating to wages and
working conditions submitted by either
party"
The conclusion of the meeting was
the appointment of a subscale COM
mittee, which on Tuesday will begin
the task of "bcdrock bargaining" over
the terms of a new agreement, with
the opposing proposals at their elbows.
chosen were John L. Lewis, president
of the United Mine Workers of
America, or Philip Murray, vice-pres
dent of that organization, as his al
ternate; William J. Brennan, Thomas
Kennedy and Chris j.. Golden. The
operators representatives selected
we're w. L. Connell Samuel D. War
riner, w. j. Richards and w. W. Inglis,
all presidents of leading anthracite
coal companies. Alvan Markle and
James A. German were elected chair
man and secretary, respectively, of
the committee, to act without the
power to vote.
Sees Room for Cheaper Coal
Following the making public of the
operators proposal, Mr.. Lewis, on be-
half of the miners, made statement in
which he sharply contradicted the con-
tentions of the mine owners, asserting
among Other things that the miners
"are prepared to prove beyond a doubt
that there is ample room for reducing
the price of coal to the public without
cutting the wages Of the miners"
The operators proposal, in part, was
as follows:
"The object of this conference should
be to construct a working agreement
which will, in contrast with conditions
in other coal fields, continue to afford
a basis whereby the anthracite indus
try will provide fair wages, full time
employment to it's workers and max
lmum production Of coal at cost which
will enable it to be sold to its custom
ers at price they are able to pay. -
The consuming public is largely
composed of wage earners in other in
dustries, who have already accepted
substantial decreases in their earnings
and who cannot continue to pay pres
ent prices in order that the workmen
in the anthracite field may hold their
present scale of wages"
Reduction Held To BE Necessary }
The document goes on to state that
the operators carefully considered the
miners nineteen demands, and ex-
presses their willingness to continue
contractuaI relations with the United
Mine Workers" Then it continues:
when it comes to matters affecting
the cost of production, there is an
other party to be considered-the
buyer. And adjustment which is not
satisfactory to the buyer must in
evitably fail, for in that event produc-
tion cannot be distributed, and the
miner will then lose his opportunity
for employment Anthracite is the
only basic commodity which has not
receded in cost of production since the
war. The Debated pocketbook of the
buyer cannot continue to pay the
present prices. Economy is being prac-
tced Dy the consumer and various sub
stitutes for anthracite are being used.
But for the fear on the part of the
public of suspension April /, the
recent movement of Snthracite would
have been even les2 Ian it was, with
the result of short time employment
throughout the region The economic
situation to-day lot bnly forbids any
increase in costs and prices, but com
pels a reductionP
Mr.. Lewis's Statement in reply was,
in part, as follows:
I've are prepared to prove beyond
doubt that there is ample room for