Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-23

"A1SA " IeSuHle lne pfOQuCtlOn OF
coal in Missouri. Kansas, Arkansas
and Oklahoma began here today.
Many persons here are prophesyina
speedy opening OF the mines. t 45
1t is limited by observers that the
signing of a contract by Frank Har.
rington, president of the Illinois Mine
Workers yesterday and operators Of
Illinois may be considered a favor
able factor, as the Illinois district
contracts which prolonged idleness in
this region might yield them.
Men Back in Illinois.
West Frankfort. Ills, Aug. "a
(By the Associated Press. )-Smoke
pouring from the stacks of numerous
mines in southern Illinois counties.
the chuckling of the engines, long
lines of workmen dressed in blue
overalls and carrying the \little pail,
today again gave these large coal pro-
ducing counties their familiar aspect,
1t was the first day the miners were
called to their pits after an idleness
the strike which came to an end yes
terday in an agreement reached at
Chicago.
Just two months ago yesterday,
West Frankfort and Herrin miners
had ended their war against those
whom they had charged with taking
their bread, and today they were en-
joying the benefit of that which they
fought for nearly five months, tho
! same wages and the same working
conditions which the operators tried
to change. thus causing the strike.
More than 10000 miners are to be-
found in Williamson and franklin
counties, many thousands more in ad-
Joining districts of Southern Illinois,
While not all We're at work again to-
day, indications were that the men
, the week ended. Operators agreed
the only question upon which hinged
complete resumption of mine opera
tions, was whether the railroads,
crippled by the strike Of their en-
, ployes, could furnish enough cars to
haul the coal brought to the surface.
Continues Old Wages.
Chicago, Illinois, August 23.-
The agreement between Illinois
! miners and operators came after con-
ferences for flve days between op.
orators and miners joint committees
and subcommittee President Frank
harrington of the Illinois miners
union entered the conferences which
he suggested following the Cleveland
meeting with the statement that any
!
Cleveland plan. Illinois operators ex-,
pressed their determination to insist,
on arbitration. they having offered to
pay the wage scale in effect when the.
miners quit. If grievances were SUBJ
mitted to an appropriation body. &
| Wednesdays agreement merely pro-
vides for continuing present wages
March 81. eliminating the clause pro-
viding for negotiations, formulating
a new contract to begin when the
present one expires, this clause being:
supplemented by the Cleveland plan
Of negotiation. =
| Pres. harrington. Harry Fishwtck,g
| vice president, and Walter Nesbit, sec.
rotary of the Illinois miners signed.
the agreement for the men, while Rice
Miller. president of the Illinois Coal
| Operators association and w. K. Kav-
anaugh, president of the operators as;
| sociation of the 5th and 9th districts
signed for these associations. The
central Illinois operators chose to sign
as individuals.
Expect Normally Monday.
President Harrington announced last
! night that every Illinois operator had
signed the agreement and said that all
men had been ordered back to work
! in this state, predicting normal pros
| duction by Monday if the trains are
able to move the coal.
President Kavanaugh of the operat-
| ors said that production in two weeks
time would be sufficient to supply the
| householder. He asserted that one
result of the strike would be the en-
actment of legislation to prevent such.
strikes in the future. I
I'VE are happy over the settlement
and we leave here, conscious OF the
| fact we have made a good fight,
fight for the public although we lost.
We made the fight in behalf OF the
| public and we surrendered at the de-
mand OF the public. But I hardly
think that the miners can afford to
win another such fight as this. &
All Operators Sign Up. J
Tremendous economic pressure;
was brought to bear upon us. The;
1 federal government. the state, munis:
cipalities andlindustries all clamored
for settlement. Railroad condition4
4 also played their part in settiement
1 of the strike. We regard thes settles:
ment as "a compromise n1easures
agreed to solely as matter of ex--
.Aii operators in the state signed
up today on the basis OF the cleves
said. The thing that enabled US te
reach an agreement was the operate
Ors abandonment Of the arbitratl tlon
clause. We regard this fact al I
signal victory for the miners OF IHis
nois. 5 !, ss3s 81 i
Settlement was delayed somswhat
by the fact that some OF the bigGsfk
GOAL operators In the state. includi1G
the Peabody interests ana the Old
4 Ben Coal company, offered ussA eons
tract based on sthe old waess sscals III
II remain la. effect until March u, 1e9E