Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-04-06
STRIKE IN HARD
COAL FIELD MAY
TERMINATE SOON
Lewis viii Attempt to Hurry
Negotiations for Settle
ment; Awaits Outcome of
House Invitation.
tBy The Associated Press.)

| New York, April John l..
Lewis. president of the United
Mine Workers, established tempo
rary strike headquarters in New
York today to- await the outcome
of the house labor committees in
vitation to bituminous coal opera
tors to join the miners in a wage
conference at Washington, d. C.
While awaiting further advice
from Congressman Nolan, chair
man of the house committee, Mr..
Lewis announced he would attemp.
to hasten negotiations for settle
ment of the anthracite strike,
through the miners and operators
subcommittee on wage contrac1
negotiations, in session here.
Referring to reports from Wash
ington that operators of Ohio and
Indiana already had sent tele.
grams to Mr.. Nolan declining to
meet with the miners, Mr.. Lewis
said:
Il have not received any official |
notification that the operators re-
fused the invitation. | can only |
reaffirm our Willingness to nego'
tate with them at any time"
Officers Well Pleased.
Mr.. Lewis appeared well pleased /
with the attitude taken by the con- |
gressmen toward his presentation |
of the miners case, and expressed a |
belief that the workers had estab-
lished their sincerity of purpose at !
the hearing in Washington.
"Our position remains unassail-
able" he said.
There also seems to be a sympa-
thetic response on the part of the
public to our efforts to settle peace
ably our controversy with the ope-
rators."
He vigorously denied reports that
unless the bituminous operators
agreed to a conference, the union
men would withdraw from the
colleries all engineers, firemen and
detailed to protect prop
erty while the strike is on.
100 Per Cent Effective.
The strike. both in the bitumin-
Gus and anthracite fields is effect,
i've 100 per cent, Mr.. Lewis said
plete to indicate to what extent the
Vb,NNU llpI-ulllOl 1llIltIH nav ]
Joined the walkout, he asserted
the strike is rapidly being eX-
tended into non-union territory
Miners delegates to the sub
committee on wage scale negotia
ions today continued to present
lata in support of their claims for ,
| twenty per cent increase for con- Z
ract men and a minimum wage OF
$500 day for straight time work
RS.
Communique Issued. T
In a communique issued at the
'lose of the days session. James A , ,
1orman. non-voting secretary of
he subcommittee. said:
THE miners submitted an eX-
libit entitled The justification for
IN increase in the wage rates of
contract miners"
1.-The exhibit embraced figures of
ife and accident insurance COM
)anies on the hazard of the anth-
'acite miners. Attached to the =.
exhibit was comparative state |
nent of steam railway accidents in
he United States and coal mining
accidents In Pennsylvania"
Mortality Rate. !,
Philip Murray vice president Of
he United Mine Workers. who 9
leaded the miners section of the :
III committee, offered figures to
how that the mortality rate among
he men was 81 per cent higher
han in the other normal basic in
lustries of the country, In 1921, |
le said, there were Sal men killed \
md $4,000 injured to such an eX-
ent that Pennsylvania paid them
This was based
lpon figures Of the Pennsylvania
tate department of mines.
Insurance companies refuse to
protect an ordinary miner for more \
han $3.50 in case of death. Mr.,
Iurray asserted. and the premium
ates. because of the hazard, are =
,ased upon an age sixteen years
.bove that Of the person insured.
Demand Eight hour Day.
The miners today also offered
estimony in support Of their de-
nand for an eight-hour day for ali
underground workers. 1t was y
laimed that under previous con- -
racts, specifying eight hours from
bank to bank" the miner actually \
pent ten hours underground, as it
ook him two hours each day to
ct to and from the bottom OF the
haft and point of occupation.