The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-14
Scale Committee of e. M. A.
Execute an "About Face"
Instead of Increase, Present
Pay Schedule Demanded.
FIGHT OVER HOWAT NOW DUE
Union Chiefs Fail to Calm
Threatening Storm.
Recommend Suspension of
Work If No Contracts Signed.

Indianapolis. Feb. 14.-Efforts Of
Illinois miners officials to pour oil on
the troubled waters and restore Alex
ander Howat. deposed Kansas union
leader. and his outlaw followers TO
the good graces of the United Mine
Workers, failed today.
Harry Fishwick. president of the
Illinois union. conferred with Presi-
dent Lewis. Vice President Murray and
Secretary Green of the international
union. Fishwick represented Frank
Harrington, president of the Illinois
district, who is i'll, in trying to smooth
out the Kansas muddle.
But tho effort was fruitless. In the
words of one conferee, 1t was no love
feast and Secretary Green declared a
fight over Howat is bound to be pre-
cipitated in the union convention.
Officials Do Bout Face."
Executing an about-face on their
demand for increased wages for BIZ
luminous coal miners of the country,
officials of the United Mine Workers,
thru the union scale committee today
presented to the miners convention a
program insisting that the present
wages be continued and setting forth
{ certain working conditions to be de-
manded.
The scale committees report pro-
vides that ANY scale negotiated must
be submitted to a referendum vote OF
| the membership affected for ap-
proval before it Is finally accepted"
! 1t also provides that in event no agree
ment is reached prior to April 1,
when the present agreement expires
in both the anthracite and bituminous
coal fields we declare in favor of
a general suspension of mining oper-
ations. such action being subjected
to a referendum vote of the member
ship of the United Mine Workers. such
referendum to be held prior to March
81"
Referendum Is New Phase.
The referendum is a new phase of
I the situation, the convention hereto
fore having exercised a supreme au-
| thority both as to wages and strikes.
The present standard of miners
wages is inadequate, the committee
declared. expressing the belief that
I'VE do not believe the public asks
that it's fuel needs be supplied at the
| expense of a degraded citizenship. ac-
com panied by human misery, starva-
ton and want %
I'VE, therefore" reads the report,
! declare in the most emphatic manner
our opposition TO any reduction In
mining prices and insist that the pres
ent basic wage schedules be main
tained.'
The committee recommended that
, inequitable differentials within and
! between districts. unfair working con-
ditions and internal differences
/ wherever existing be adjusted upon a
fair and satisfactory base and the Joint
| conferences In the respective districts
| be empowered TO make such adjust
ments. Besides these conditions the
committee recommended
That all new agreements be based
upon the eight-hour day underground,
because OF mining hazards.
! That overtime be paid at the rate
of one and one-half time. with double
| time on Sundays and holidays
That best efforts be made to obtain
weekly pay.
That the convention ratify the an
| thracite miners wage demands and
pledge 'our power and influence in
aiding them in the fulfillment OF their
demands"
That the next wage scale cover a
period of two years.
| Chcck-Off Not Mentioned.
No mention is made Of the check
off system, be cause renewal of the
present contract carries with It this
method of collecting minerL union
| dues.
Just how the convention would re-
ceive their eleventh hour change OF
front was prob ematfcal in advance
! of actual opening of the sealed recon-
mendations Of the wage scale CONF
mittee. Most of the $500 delegates
came to Indianapolis primed for ac-
ton looking to increased pay and It
| is known that the commfttee'e recon-
imendations were kept IN the strlctest
secrecy. for the purpose OF ayerting
organized anita gonisnn on the floor of
! the convention.
Unions leaders explain their reversal
of position. which. II the convention
backs them up. Is expected to GO far
toward dissipating the strike clouds
which now loom ominously with the
assertion that they certainly do not
want to Offend the public.''
Miners Make First Move.
Only three routes of egress have
been visible from the maze Of threat
ened strikes: Recession by the min
ers from their announced intention OF
demanding wage increases; a backing
down by the operators from their an
| nounced intention Of enforcing pay
cuts. or, third, government interven-
ton
/ Having once tasted government
interference with the coal industry.
miners officials explain. neither the
union nor the operators crave more
ing the first move and they make IL
I clear that their last line OF defense
is the present scale. with concessions
as to working conditions and unless
the operators meet them fifty-fifty
by giving in on their own stand, q
tieup may yet occur
But go easy on the strike talk"
is the significant watchword Of the
union camp.