The New York herald., 1922-01-19
Sc A DAY MINIMUM
SOUGHT BY MINERS
Demand for 90 Per Cent. In
crease Also Expected at
Coal Convention.
SEES BITUMINoUs MOVE
Union Head Declares New
Wage Demands Will Be
Made Next Month.

Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD
SHAMoKIN, Pa, Jan. 18.-A minimum
wage of s6 day and a 20 per cent. in
crease are likely to be the main features
of the demands of the hard coal miners
who are in session here, when the agree
ment between them and the operators
expires April 1.
The CHECK off" system, too. which
has been the cause of contention be-
tween the owners and the men and
which calls for the collection of Miners
Union dues by the coal companies, and
an eight hour day for all classes OF
workmen in and about the mines. also
will figure in the demands.
The convention adjourned to-day when
Thomas Kennedy. temporary chairman,
appointed the wage scale committee, In
whose hands will rest largely the terms
to be embodied in the working agree
ment the miners will seek. The commit
tee comprises seven miners from each of
the three districts. They are expected
to report tomorrow.
Charges WsEe Propaganda.
One of the outstanding events to-day
was the speech Of Chris J. Golden, presi-
dent of District No. 8. who termed as
propaganda all efforts to make the peo-
pie believe that If the public wants
cheaper coal It must come only through
the reduction Of wages Of the miners.
"In 1918, when the Government sought
to regulate coal prices" said Golden.
Owners of mines having high overhead
expenses insisted that they be taken care
Of. and this of necessity had to be done.
The result was that the price Of coal was
fixed on the basis Of the mine where 1t
cost the most to produce 1t. The mine
where It cost dollar less TO get the
coal out OF the ground and prepare it
sold for the same price as the higher
line product"
An appeal on behalf Of Thomas
Mooney, now serving life sentence for
participation in the bomb outrages In
San Francisco. was made to the conven-
ton by j. c. Sheehan Of San Francisco.
He asked the support of the miners in
the movement now under way to release
the former labor chief. No action was
taken.
Raises "Capitn1istic'' Cry.
Mrs. George Coryell Of wilkesbarre.
representing the Loyal League of North
America. said to be an organization
promoting American citizenship, asked
the miners to give Endorsement to the
work motion to this effect was about
to be made when a delegate interrupted
the proceedings with the declaration
that the men at the head OF the organ
ization were "capitalistic."
In statement this afternoon John L..
Lewis declared the bituminous miners
also would ask for wage increase IN
demands to be formulated at their con-
vention next month. This is the first
statement that has come from Mr.. Lewis
along this line and was regarded as sig
nificant
The miners leader. IN referring to the
"check off, to be included in the de-
mands of the anthracite men, stated
that this concession always had been re-
fused by the operators on the ground
that 1t was Illegal. The recent decision
of the Court Of Appeals Of Illinois elm
mates this contention. he said, and it no
longer can be used as an argument
against It,
Lewis has consented to address mass
meeting of mine workers here Saturday.