The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-12
POSSIBLE STRIKE
 OF MINERS TOBE
 DECIDED TUESDAY
Meeting of United Mine Work CTS, Most Momentous in History, Will Probably
 Refuse Wage Cut
By HARDEN CoLFAx Special Correspondent of The Age Herald Copyright, 1929. by The Age-Herald)

miners of the country wilfwalk out on strike April 1 next probably will be decided here within the coming week. The miners national organi- zation, the United Mine Workers of America, meets here next Tuesday, with delegates from every union field in the country present to frame it's wage demands. On the eve of the meeting as the most mo- mentous ever faced by the largest labor union of the country-the sit uation shapes up about as follows;
 1. The miners will vote probably against accepting the wage cuts proposed by operators.
 3. A counter demand of 6 90 per cent wage increase probably will be made
 8. Secretary Hoover has made a move looking to the pre- vention of nation wide coal strike and this move will probably be placed before the convention for action.
 {. John L. Lewis, president of the miners organization, has received re- plies from virtually all the railroad union presidents to whom he pro- posed an offensive and defensfwA al- liance of rail and coal employees.
 Railroad Workers Willing
 
 ling to meet with the miners to dis cuss such an alliance as Lewis pro- poses, but have not committed them selves to the alliance.
 6. There probably will be no ef- fectiye alliance of the two classes of workers in time to bring about joint coal and rail workers strike.
 Among the possibilities Is one that the miners will make no wage de- mands whatever, but vest the scale with full power to act in negotiating with the operators. Such action, if taken, would be a complete reversal of forms followed for more than 20 years, would upset to greater or less degree some of the operators plans, and would shift from labor to capital the responsibility for the first advance. The min CTS scale committee, consisting of the presidents of all the district or ganizations and the three national officers. has been in session here since Tuesday formulating it's pro- posals to the convention. These pro- posals, which are the only business scheduled to come before the con- vention, probably will be ready for the first day of the They are virtually finished tonight but there may be minor changes Monday.
 Advance of 20 Per Cent
 The advance of 20 per cent in wages proposed by members of the com mittee, if adopted, would place the mines on an equal foot ing with the anthracite workers, who recently voted to make such a de- mand in their field. Both anthracite and bituminous wage agreements ex- pire Simultaneously this year for the first time in many years, and the negotiations, therefore, will find the miners presenting united front. Leaders of the miners are frankly by the operators refusal to meet in joint conference to negoti ate a wage scale. Thus far the op- orators have not only declined to meet the miners representatives, but have proceeded on the tack that they will make numerous local wage agreements. each agreement to cover a producing field. In several fields. drastic wage cuts have been pro- posed and the employers have decid- ed to go ahead. post the new wage scale, and fight strike, If it comes, without holding any confer ence whatever with the miners.
 The miners, therefore, in framing wage demands, probably will find themselves for the first time in years, without any prospect of meet ing with the employers to present the demands. In such case, the miners leaders assert, the men will walk out in every union field.
 Hoover's Proposal
 Secretary Hoover's proposal to the miners, 1t became known today, was made last October At that time he asked both operators and miners to consider the advisability of continu- ing work during the period of wage It Is reported here that the operators accepted. The however, declined to accept the proposal, stating that the entire subject of wages had been left to the scale committee and that the or .Janization could not commit itself until after the scale committee meet ing.
 Miners leaders here are most eager to arrange a joint conference with the operators. They profess to be- lieve that if such a meeting could be brought about some basis of agree ment on wages could be reached. There seems. however, to be slight prospect. at this time, of such a 
 When the convention assemblies at Tomlinson hall next Tuesday morn ing, President Lewis will asquaint it with the contents of the letters he has received from the railroad unions in reply to his invitation to meet and discuss an alliance. The railroad brotherhoods and practically all the other railroad unions are willing to meet the miners. It is likely that a date will be set for such meeting within the near fu- ture.
 But it is regarded as extremely un likely that at any time an alliance vii be formed which would put into effect two-way strike of miners and rail workers. Some of the min CTS leaders here are frankly pessi mistic as to the results of the meet ing. They foresee polite and pleasant discussion but little action.
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