Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-03-22

for refusing to negotiate new con-
! tract with the union, and with the
failure to. reach a new acrcemcn;
with the hard coal operators. was
mailed by officers employees at tho
unions headquarters here i'm tho alb
sencr Of officials. The procedure.
however. had previously been ar
ranged by officials. ANA the release
nf the cali. which was dated yester-
day. was directed by officers, who are
in New York meeting with anthra-
cite operators.
Decline tn Comment.
William Green, secretary treasurer
OF the union. made the text public
on his arriva, here from Coshocton,
Ohio, where he had been the last few
days. lie declined to make any COM
mcni, SAYING the order was self-cN-
planatory
The unions membership. excluding
that i'll Scvu Scotia, which will not
be affected 10y the strike, IS about
400, zoe men. OF these. approximately
-. 600 arc in the three anthracite dis
tric;s 81 Pennsylvania. and the re-
maindcr scattered over the soft-coai
fields rayt suspensions in the am
thracite fields. however, have prac-
tically closed all operations, leading
To the oiliciai estimates, that almost
zoe eco men viii h'. called out OF the
mines.
The order MAS not sent into Nova
Scotia because the Elacrs there were
said To bc working under an ar
rangcmeut mad. some time ago when
a contract expired. ans! it was said
that the injection Of the strike or
der might so complicaie thc situation
rs to mal<c any future agreements
impossible.
The miners attitude In calling the
suspension was set forth fully IN the
call. which ais" related the authority
under which the officials acted in is
suing it.
Text of order.
The order WAS addressed 10 THE
officers and members Of the United
Mine Workers Of America" and was
signed by John l.. Lewis, interna-
,ional president. Philip Murray, vice
president, and William Green, secre-
tary-tronsurer. Tie text follows:
..'rhc las, international convention
of the Uatc Min. Workers OF Amer
lea. held in the city OF Indianapolis
during the week Of February Il. l?22.
adopted the following declaration as
a part Of the policy II the United
Mine Workers OF America:
1.-The present contract between the
coal operators and the United Mine
Workers Of America in both the an
thracite and btuminous coal fields
terminates on March 81, 1922. In the
event no agreement is reached by
April |. we declare in favor Of n gen
cral suspension OF mining operations,
such action being subject TO ref
erendum vote of the membership OF
the United Mine Workers 90 America.
such referendum vote to he held prior
TO March 81.
Fall to Fix Conferences.
since this action was taken the
International officers OF the United
Aiiuc Workers OF America have en-
dcavcrcd Ia meet the operators of the
central competitive field in joint
conference" for the purpose If nego-
tiatjug Il new wage agreement. The
operators of Western Pennsylvania
aud Southern Ohio positively refused
10 attend an Interstate meeting, while
the operators Of t.a stern Ohio 7and
Indiana agreed 10 do so only upon the
condition that all the operators rep
rcscnting Western Pennsylvania
Ohio. Indiana and Illinois, the States
and districts comprising the central
competitive field. We're present Be
cause the operators refused TO meet
your representatives We have failed
10 secure an interstate meeting. We
have been. and now are, willing and
ready to participate in joint con-
ference of miners and operators of
the central competitive field for the
purpose o' negotiating new wage
agreement, but are unable to do so
because the coal operators Will not
meet us. The blame and responsible
lty Tor suspension Of mining opera
tons Oh Npr.i ]. must rest fairly and
sqUarrly with the coal operators.
~ referendum vote Of the mine
workers OF the bi;uminous coal fields
was taken and the returns show that
the membership has voted ovcrwhclm-
iGs,y In favor of suspension Of min
ing operations on March 81. in the
event no agreement with the coal
Operators Is reached by that time.
Furthermore. the representatives
Of the anthracite mine workers in :;
'rl-disirict convention held at shamo-
kin "a. from January l. to 90. 1922
adopted tn" following section AZ d
part "f their wage scale demands:
Direct All to Discontinue.
We further recommend that the
scale committee be instructed to per-
'cct arraHg ein"Hts providing for :,
suspension Of mining on April !. 1877
'n The event that no satisfactory
agreement has been arrived at as Of
mat date