Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-13
MINE WORKERS
ARRIVE TO TAKE
UP WAGE SCALE
Pay Question and Alliance
With Rail Unions Chief
Issues.

Bent on holding what they have got"
in their present wage contract and de-
termined to demand substantial pay in
crease at the expiration of the exist
ing agreement some six weeks hence, the
$500 delegates 20 the international CON
vention of the United Mine Workers be
gan arriving today for he sessions which
open tomorrow.
SAY MINER. RAIL
COALITION ASSURED.
The wage question viii come sharply to
the front early In the convention, for the
sealed recommendation of the scale com
mittee are to be opened shortly after the
opening and placed before the representa-
tives Of the 100000 miners Of the btu
minous coal fields for their approval.
The proposed defensive alliance Of the
miners and members Of the sixteen major
railroad unions likely viii be discussed
freely by the delegates, and It may in
cidentally receive the conventions o. k,
but success Of the planned coalition does
not hinge upon approval by the conven-
tion. 1t already has had official Sane
ton and awaits only formal acceptance
by the railroaders.
It is a foregone conclusion that the con
vention will ratify the 20 per cent wage
the anthracite miners in their recent tri-
State meeting Then q call will go forth
for joint conferences between the miners
and the operators who have given every
indication that they will insist upon a
decrease in wages in the hard coal mines.
FIGHT PROMISED IN
BITUMINOUS FIELDS.
In the bituminous fields. however. even
the preliminary steps II attempting to
arrive at an agreement do not promise
such clear sailing. because powerful oper-
ating groups have fatty refused to enter
into joint negotiations and have prepared
TO enforce pay cuts regardless of the ac-
ton taken in tomorrOw's convention.
Both fields will witness q cessation Of
operations after April / as a result Of
the deadlock now forecast, It generally Is
predicted
Union officials were frank to admit
that public opinion does not appear to
be with the miners in their demands.
HOWAT DELEGATION
TO START FIREWORKS.
Fireworks are expected 10 be set Off IN
the first hours Of the convention over
the status Of Alex Howat, deposed chief
Of the Kansas miners. H0wat IS re-
ported en- route to indianapolis with the
full dclcgation-some sixty men-which
attended the previous convention here.
These men, since then expelled from the
union, viii not he permitted on the con-
venuon floor, but are expected TO occupy
q vantage point In the public gallery.
Meanwhile the credentials committee is
certain 10 recommend the seating of rep
resentatives Of the new provisional gov
ernment"-picked by the union admins
tr8ton.
This will be sigal, It is forecast, for
fiery demands from Frank harrington,
head Of the Illinois miners and friend
Of Howat. that the Kansas rebel"
leader and his men be relnstated Far
rington is now in indianapolis and is
quoted as declaring he IS In e better
position now thal last fall to defy John
L. Lewis. international president, and
the rest Of the administration
No objection, however, is expected
from Harrington az TO the administra-
lions wage program, it being anticipated
that this oratory will be confined to a
heated defense Of the ousted Kansans.