Arizona republican., 1922-03-28

Refusal OF Seamen To Sail
Vessels Carrying British
Coal Would Block Gov
ernment Relief Plan
TRepubIIean A. 2. leased WLrel


NEW YORK. March 27-The an
thracite miners and operators sub
committee on contract negotiations
today abandoned their general dis
cussions of the industry and got
down to the 19 demands OF the work
ers.
Negotiations Of the day were re-
stricted to the second part OF de-
pand No. relating to the establish
ment of a scale for operators of me-
chanical leaders and demFn1 No. 8,
which says:
'In conformity with the thought
expressed in the award of the United
States anthracite coal coSNmission. we
demand that a uniform wage sched-
ule be established so that the various
occupations of like character at the
several colleries shall command thee
same wages"
The miners restricted the discus
sion 10 presentation Of a vast array
of statistics as evidence to support
their demands. James German. sec
retary of the board and an non-vot-
ing member Of the secret conferences
announced at the close of the ses-
sion that "the miners will continue
presentation Of their case tomor-
row.
The CHIEF demands OF the miners
and the crux of the anthracite sit
uation, the demand for a 20 per cent
increase in wages throughout the in
dustry. and a raise of 81 per shift
for day laborerz. will be broached be-
fore the committee late tomorrow or
Wednesday, union members or the
committee announced.
Operators refused to comment on
the present status of the negotia-
tions, except to agree with the min
ers that negotiation of a new Goa
tract in time to halt suspension of
the anthracite mines April / is not
in sight.
"The date for a complete presenta-
ton of our case is in our hands"
said Thomas T. Kennedy. labor mem
ber OF the committee. I'VE are now
ready 20 put it up to the mine ope-
rators."
Ten thousand members of the In
ternationaI Seamen'S union in the
port Of New York are awaiting the
return of their president, Andrew
Furuseth, from Washington tomor-
row, to decide as to whether they
will interfere with the proposed i'm
portation of British mined soft coal
to help break the strike OF the BIZ
luminous miners, also set for April /.
Coincidental with the seamen's
preparation for action, John III. Ryan
vice. president OF the international
Longshoremens association, asserted
today that its $4,000 members in
| tended to render every possible as
sistance to the United Mine Work
ers.''
Although the next district confer
ence of the Longshoremen's organiza-
tion is not scheduled until April 8
Mr.. Ryan declared a special confer
! ence would be held if developments
| warranted, to formulate a program
of aid for the 400, 900 bituminous mer
! ordered by their union leaders to hall
work Friday midnight
According to officials OF the sea-
mems union, Mr.. Furuseth conferred
at Washington today with govern
ment officials and chiefs OF the
American Federation of Labor rela-
tive to reports that the government
considered importation of British Goa
in the event 2. protracted strike
threatened the nations fuel supply
In these reports, which Mr.. Furusetl
! is investigating, it was said the ad'
mlnistration would permit shipping
board vessels to haul coal from Grea
| Britain as ballast. 1t has been sug
gested that a. preferential freigh
rate might be fixed which would per
NIT importation of the foreign mineC
product to cost not prohibitive t
American industrial consumers
Refusal of the seamen to. sail yes
sells hauling such coal, combined witt
a similar action on the part Of long
shoremen, would effectively blocl
! such a scheme, local union official
asserted. Although intended by tn
government as a means of protection
to the consumer, they said it actual.
I would be a weapon in the hands o
the operators. to cripple the bitum
nous miners in their announced in
tention OF striking until the operator
agree TO confer with them on a nev
wage schedule
/ They pointed out that the suppl.
on hand April j. plus the estimated
non union output of 100000 tons
week, would result in shortag
within four months after the strik
is called, figuring the weekly con
sumption OF the nation at 2,225,0o
tons. The importation of British
coal, they added, would obviate tn
danger of a shortage for at least /
months.