New-York tribune., 1922-04-10
Broadway Men
10 Ask Harding
VA
To End Strik G
Mcrchan;s' Association Fears
Serious Effect OH Business
if Cosl Supply Checks Win.
dow Lighting OH White Way
Long for "Big Stick"
Paralysis i'm Basic Industry
Would Not Be Tolerated
by Roosevelt. Is Opinion

A committee Of 600 New York busi-
ness mon. representing the Broadway
Merchants Association. will leave for
Washington Thursday night to protest
to President Harding against the coal
stTisc, which, they declare, menaces
business.
Tne Broadway Merchants Associa-
ton has membership made up of
storckcepers and others who depend
Tor their business prosperity to a large
extent OF window display. A consider
able part of the membership centers
about the theatrical district. The as
sociation issucd statement last n:rht
with this declaration:
Should It become necessary 20 darke.,
windows or close stores. shops and
restaurants a, or o'ciocl: even dur
ing q period Of few weeks, the effect
will be to drive many concerns out OF
business"
No Time for the Strike
In addressing the members oe the
association Saturday night at 1852 West
Forty-ffth Street, St. Leon Sunshine.
president of the organization, said:
This is time to put life into the
country's business instead OF discour-
sgement: Why should an economic war
be permitted to continue in basic in
dustry such as coal mining? We be-
heve President Harding should WELD
stick like that Theodore Roosevelt
would have used in such circumstances
If the operators will not run their mines
OF ha
over: This will bring the operators
TO their senses. If the miners won't
work let US get men who will
Invitations to join the associations
delegation Ill its trip to WASHINGTON
or to sign petition which President
Sunshine will convey to the White
house are being sent to members Of
the Merchants Association and to
many New York business men iudi
vidualiy.
The hard coai operators will havo
their turn, beginning tomorrow. in tie
negotiations for new agreement for
the anthracite fields being conductcd
by the joint committee Of operators
and miners at the Union League Club.
Representatives of the miners com
pieted the initial presentation of their
case on Friday in support Of their
nineteen demands, the chief of which
is Tor wage increase. Counter grpu-
ments and evidence will be entered by
the operators throughout the sessions
this week and probably next week.
eentering chiefly about the contention
that wages must be cut if there is to
be reduction in the price OF anthra.
cite.
Fear Heavy Additional Cost
= Yesterday statement was issued by
Samuel ID. Warmer, the chief spokes-
man for the operators, declaring that
granting of the miners demands would
add sl70O0O,0O0 year. or SO a ton,
to the cost of producing anthracite.
Inc statement reads as follows:
This added cost would be paid by
the consumer who 40 far from being
wiling to pay present or increased
prices, is rightly demanding that the
price of anthracite shall be reduced.
"The industry in 1921 paid about
$3.50, GOO eco for labor. To concede the
miners demands would make the pay
roll Of the industry approximately
s430 600, 900 a year.
In 1917, on production of 7A,00O,-
600 gross tons o. commercial produc-
ton, the wage bill was Sl45.00O 600:
in 1918, on 7225o.O0O tons, the labor
cost was Si95, 600; IN 1919, the labor
cost of 66.000,00 tons was S225, 500 900.
and IN 1920 this had risen 70 1852 ,l75,-
COG on commercial production Of
66,bO0.000 tons. This shows a steadily
mounting wage bill for a steadily de-
cressing production.
The increases totaling $4,000, 900
now demanded would be superimposed
upon the several increases during the
war, plus ia per cent increase in 1920,
sll of which resulted in an advance
of hourly earnings of anthracite miners
OF between 1914 and 1921 OF l62 per
cent.
"Anthracite producers see no reason